2026 Wildfire Season: Helitanker Over Wildfire

A nice video from Airborne Firefighters depicting aerial firefighting using a helitanker in to extinguish a wildfire by deploying wildland helitack firefighters to the ground in areas that are inaccesible by traditional equipment and crews. I am uncertain the location of the helitanker and the wildfire, that does not matter. What matters is the the helitanker deployed firefighters to the ground to extinguish the wildfire.

2026 Wildfire Season: NSW Chinook Ready for NSW Fire Season

I saw a nice video from the New South Wales Australia Fire Service of one of their Chinooks finishing up in France and returning to New South Wales for their fire season. Unfortunately I am not able to embed this video. I am always glad to read about the deployment of wildlandfire aerial assets. Chinooks do good work helping the wildland firefighters on the ground fight wildfires.

Here is a 2024 article from the New South Wales Government about their acquisition of a Chinook

2026 Wildfire Season: Fighting a Wildfire on PA interstate

Direct link to October 25th video from WHTM-News27 on YouTube.

FYI, there is an ad at the end of the newsreport on this wildfire. Having spent many hours in past years driving through this part of Pennsylvannia on my way to see family, I am always interested in hearing about wildland firefighting efforts in this area. The relatives I used to visit have passed on so I rarely have occassion to pass through this part of Pennsylvannia.

Thanks to my friends at NJFFS Section B10 for sharing this video on their website today. I learn of many wildfire videos from my friends at NJFFS Section B10.

2026 Wildfire Season: Footage of Aerial Support for Bike Fire in LA County

Direct link to October 14th video of Bike Fire (LA County) from from 310 Fire

According to CAL FIRE on October 14th, the 172 acre Bike Fire in LA County, California is at 91 percent containment. I enjoyed the footage of tankers and a helicopter dropping on this fire in support of troops on the ground. Thanks to my friends at NJFFS Section B10 who shared this video on their webpage this morning, they share videos pertaining to wildfires daily, updated daily.

Air Tractor Fire Boss Working a Wildfire

Direct link to September 25th video from Dawson Thomas on YouTube

As some of you know, I have a special affinity for all Air Tractors, perhaps because I have saw an Air Tractor flying a wildfire years ago and on another occasion got to see one up close and personal.

Aero Flite Tanker 160 Working Wildfires in California

Direct link to October 1st King's Aviation video on YouTube</a>

I do know about AeroFlite and the good work that their aerial firefighting tankers do working wildfires in the United States and globally. I am glad to be able to share this video with you of Aero Flite Tanker 160 working a wildfire in California in late September 2026

2026 Wildfire Season: Quiet Season in Alaska

Direct link to September 30th video from Alaska News Source on YouTube

I have never been to Alaska but I do try to follow their wildfire season. I am happy that so far Alaska has had its quietest wildfire season in 31 years. I hope that this quiet season continues. The quiet wildfire season is due to rain and a late frost. Unfortunately adjoining areas of northwest Canada had a significant wildfire season.

Airtankers Flying at Night in California

Direct link to August 18th video from Airborne Firefighters on YouTube

Enjoy this video about airtankers flying wildfires at night in California. The aerial wildland firefighters receive training to safely fly wildfires at night. I am happy to know that airtankers fly wildfires at night in California, I do not know if other States have airtankers flying wildfires at night.

Airborne Firefighters, a documentary series, has other videos about wildland firefighting.

Airtankers at Abiliene Texas Tanker Base Responding to Wildfires on Sept. 17th

Direct link to September 17th video from KTXS News on YouTube

2026 Wildfire Season: 737 Tanker Ferry Flight from Australia to US

Direct link to September 13th video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

I am greatful to read that a Coulson 737 tanker from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service received heavy maintenance before coming to California to help with their wildfire season.

2026 Wildfire Season: Blackhawk Helicopter Airlifted After Hard Landing

This September 3rd video is from https://www.youtube.com/@9news.

Here is a direct link to this video,

An unfortunate aspect to aviation and aerial wildland firefighting are hard landings. I came across this video today and was interested to see this video of Blackhawk being airlifted from the site of the hard landing. I am sure that this happens all the time after a hard landing, but I rarely get to see a video of such an airlift. As I understand no one onboard the Blackhawk was injured. There were reports of a fuel leakage and residents in the area of this hard landing are understandable concerned.

2026 Wildfire Season: Wildfires in Everglades in South Florida

Direct link to Aug 23rd video from WPLG Local 10 on YouTube The video that I share from WPLG in Miami Florida was on my newsfeed yesterday. As some of you know, I traveled to the Everglades once, about fifteen years ago. My friend and I spent a day traversing the Everglades from west to east and back to the hotel where I was staying. It was a day I will not forget. I am always saddened by wildfires anywhere, but the Everglades have a special place in my heart so I am especially saddened to hear of wildfires in the Everglades. The important thing is that as far as I know there were no injuries or deaths from these wildfires. I am also sharing a report on these wildfires from the Everglades National Park that may be found here. WGCU News has an August 23rd report on these wildfires that may be found here. As I write this Shark Valley remains closed.

2026 Wildfire Season: European Aircraft Deployed to Belgium

Direct link to August 17th post from German Public Broadcast Service on YouTube

I heard a report early this moring on National Public Radio about the hot weather and wildfire danger that many areas of Europe are seeing. Unfortunately, I can not find a link to that story online nor could I find any videos on YouTube related to the story I heard. I did find a video that I shared above about a very large wildfire in Belgium and the help they are receiving from other countries in Europe sending aerial resources.

2026 Wildfire Season: NJ Wildland Firefighters Deployed Across United States

Direct link to August 11th video on NBC10 Philadlephia

Just about every summer since I started this blog over 20 years ago New Jersey Forest Fire Service wildland firefighting crews are deployed across the United States to help wildland firefighters in other states fight wildfires. This deployment does not affect the ability of the NJ Forest Fire Service to fight wildfires in New Jersey as there are crews available to fight wildfires in New Jersey.

Friday Fun: Grade Fire (San Diego CA) Aerial Firefighting

Direct link to July 31st video from Ocotillo Outlaws on YouTube

Footage from Ocotillo Outlaws of aerial firefighting over Grade Fire in east San Diego County on July 31st. Sorry for the small size of the video, you can enlarge the video to full screen by clicking the arrows to the right.

2026 Wildfire Season: Wildfires Continue to Burn in Southwest Europe

Direct link to July 28th video from NBC News on YouTube 

I knew from my newsfeed that wildfires are burning in Spain and France. The July 28th video that I shared above provides a nice overview of these fires. 

I just heard a nice report from NPR about this fire, unfortunately I am unable to link to that report, but there is a July 29th report on the NPR site that I can link to, the NPR report may be found here. 

In this post I am referring to the July 29th article on NPR linked to earlier. Evacuations in France continue with at least 60,000 residents evacuated as a precaution. This may be the among the largest peacetime evacuations in French history. Total evacuations in France and Spain total approximately 330,000 people. 

In Spain, 79,000 people evacuated over the weekend and evacuation orders for 20,000 were lifted Tuesday night with stay-at-home orders lifted for an additional 14,000 people.

Fire fighters on the ground in France and Spain are being assisted by aerial firefighting aircraft. 

2026 Wildfire Season: July 26th Update on Wildfires in Northern Minnesota

Progress continues in fighting the wildfires in Northern Minnesota. See the video from Fox9 for more information Direct link to July 26th video from Fox9 Minneapolis- St.Paul Minnesota

2026 Wildfire Season: Progress in Fighting Northern Minnesota Wildfires (July 23rd)

Direct link to July 23 video from Fox 9 Minneapolis St. Paul I am happy to report that some progess is being made in fighting wildfires in northern Minnesota, but wildfires are still active and it may be awhile before they are contained. See the video that I shared from Fox 9 Minneapolis St. Paul for more information

2026 Wildfires: Wildfires in Sicily, Italy

Direct link to July 21st video from NBC News on YouTube 

I am always interested in wildfires affecting countries outside the United States. When I saw this video about wildfires affecting Sicily, Italy I wanted to share this with you out of respect for people in Sicily, Italy

2026 Wildfires: Northern Minnesota (July 19th update)

Direct link to July 15th post from Fox9 Minneapolis-St. Paul on YouTube

The wildfires in northern Minnesota continue with smoke continuing to affect other regions of the United States and Canada. The video that I shared above, reported on July 15th is a little long, over eight minutes that includes weather information. These wildfires have burned about 70,000 acres on Friday,July 15th. Wildland firefighters discuss how they are working to keep people safe.