About BLM Helitack Crews

Direct link to July 2023 from the National Interagency Fire Center on YouTube

For this week's Friday Fun take a look at this seven minute video from the National Interagency Fire Center discussing what a Bureau of Land Management Helitack crew does. As the introduction to the video points out an obvious benefit is seeing beautiful country from the air. But there is a lot more. I have oodles of respect for helitack crews who are flown to wildland fires in remote areas. If the helitack helicopter has a bucket the helicopter will drop water on the fire after the helitack crew is dropped off.  Kudos to the pilots flying these helicopters and the helitack crews they fly. Just as important are all the personnel providing various support service to keep helitack crews flying.

2024 Wildfire Season: All Survived Helicopter Accident

 I do know that there are survivable aviation accidents, including those affecting the wildland firefighting community. However,  I am rarely in the position to have information to share with you on an aviation accident where all on board survived. Today I do, thanks to Bureau of Land Management Fire that I will share with you at the end of this post.  My understanding is that a Bell 407 helicopter carrying a helitack crew had to use autorotation for an emergency landing after an in-flight emergency. Kudos to the pilot. I am thankful that all onboard survived.

As soon as I saw the post from the Bureau of Land Management Fire, I knew that I had to share this with you. It is so special to be able to share about an accident where all survived. Perhaps some of the survivors are experiencing some psychological effects from surviving the accident, in my opinion that would be understandable.

2023 Wildfire Season: Panhandle Helitack Year in Review

I am always interested in the good work that various helitack crews do to support crews on the ground fighting wildfires whether it be bucket work or bring in gear, food and other material that crews on the ground in remote areas need. Of course, in some cases I suppose that helitack might transport crews to remote areas or perhaps there are other helicopters that transport crews to and from remote areas. 

The other good work that helitack crews do is in igniting prescribed burns in remote locations using either plastic fires that ignite when they hit the ground or special torches.

As I was looking at a couple of social media groups on Facebook focused on aerial firefighting I came across a post by the U.S. Forest Service - Idaho Panhandle National Forests shared a couple of weeks highlighting the work that the Panhandle Helitack Crew did in 2023. They flew to 64 wildfires and did 13 prescribed burns. The Panhandle Helitack Crew does bucket work, transports ground crews to remote locations on a wildfire,  transports gear and equipment to crews on the ground in remote locations, and does prescribed burns. I share a short post from the Idaho Panhandle National Forests with relevant photos showcasing what they do and a thorough but concise description of their work in 2023. Click "see more" to see their full post. 

2022 wildfire season: Bald Mountain Helitack 2022 season

I continue posting 2022 season summary videos from various wildland fire crews. Today's offering is from Bald Mountain Helitack 517, located in Stanislaus National Forest southeast of Sacramento, California. As I have no first hand experience of working on a wildfire crew, nor will I in the future, the best way that I can share with you what life is like is through sharing videos like the one I am sharing today. More importantly I hope that the wildland fire crews know that I have deep respect for all that you do to keep us safe and the sacrifices you make in time away from your loved ones. 

I enjoyed getting a feeling of the crew's season including on the fireline, resting, and crew interactions during downtime. I also enjoyed the footage of their helicopter. Enjoy! Allow about 12 minutes to watch the video.

 

Direct link to video by Mark Welsh

2022 winter prescribed (aka controlled) burns using helicopters and firefighters on the ground

Continuing with prescribed or controlled burns, I found myself thinking that helicopters are sometimes used in prescribed burns. I wanted to find a video to show you how an agency conducting prescribed burns uses helicopters in addition to wildland firefighters on the ground. I struck pay dirt with this June 2021 video from the Savannah River Site. In the video you will again learn about how this agency conducts prescribed burns and the planning that is involved. It seems that the wildland firefighters use torches in igniting carefully planned prescribed burns. Helicopters are used on prescribed burns on larger acreage. You will learn about the ping pong balls dropped by helicopters in a special device hanging from their belly to conduct prescribed burns.

Direct link to video from the Savannah River Site on YouTube

A behind the scenes look at helibase operations

 I have posted extensively over the years about the variety of things that helicopters do aid wildland firefighters during and after wildfires. The helicopters may be based at a permanent or a temporary helibase. I was quite interested when I came upon this video offering me a behind the scenes look at one helibase operation. I knew that some of you would be interested as well. 

Watch and listen to Helibase Manager Trainee Jerek Bickford of Montrose Helitack offer a behind the scenes look at helibase operations for the Cameron Peak Fire. As I write this, the Cameron Peak Fire has burned 208.913 acres in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee Grassland. The fire has been burning for over two months. To read more about this fire, check out this link of tagged files from Bill Gabbert's Wildfire Today website.

Matt this if for you, you would love this. RIP and I know that you flying with the helos in favorable tail winds.

Direct link to video from the Cameron Peak Fire Channel

Helitack: Oregon Department of Forestry (2015)

Even though I have to wait for my second cataract surgery until May, I am  getting used to working at the computer. This means that I am starting get back to doing the background work I need to do write more of what I am calling reflection articles on air tankers and helicopters. I hope to post one this Wednesday. Along those lines, I want to share a video showing helitack where helicopters deliver wildland firefighters to remote areas to fight wildfires. Here is a 7 minute video of an ODF helitack team fighting wildfires in 2015. This is probably a rerun, if so it so it is worth seeing again.


Direct link to video on Youtube

A little about Washington State wildfire resources

I continue to write about State level wildfire resources in states where I have spent some time this summer. In early June I traveled to the west coast visiting Washington in the Pacific Northwest and then southern California.

Over the years that I have been writing this blog I have known of many wildfires in Washington and have a great deal of respect for their State wildfire agency, the Wildfire Division of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). The WDNR is very competent, working hard to keep their residents as safe as they can from wildfire danger. They do this with the following resources:

DNR Wildfire is the state's largest on-call fire department, with more than 1,300 employees trained and available to fight fires as needed. This includes more than 800 permanent DNR employees, 500 seasonal employees, about 117 wildland fire engines, eight helicopters and six single engine air tankers, which are under contract with DNR.

Additionally, the Department of Corrections works with DNR on a voluntary Correctional Camps Program that provides job training for approximately 300 inmates while meeting the state’s need for more wildland firefighters and firefighting support. Corrections crew members are able to earn minimal funds while providing cost-efficient support. (obtained from http://www.dnr.wa.gov/FightingFire on August 29, 2017)

I learned a little about their helitack program on the WDNR Aviation page, their eight UN-1H helicopters are equipped with buckets to drop water/foam on fires. In addition, they fly helitack crews to remote locations to provide initial attack on wildfires. More information about the helitack program is available on the WDNR Aviation page, and you will want to visit the WDNR flicker page for some photographs. For those of you who are interested in fire aviation, here is a link to a short history of the WDNR helitack program.

Finally, the WDNR has a nice page of wildfire information, including a map, with links for more information on current wildfires.

Next up: reflections on CAL FIRE.

CAL FIRE Super Huey - Helitack 106 in action

I found this great 16 minute video today from W Colby showing a CAL FIRE Super Huey, Helitack 106, in action. The video was uploaded in August, 2015. There are some great close-up shots. Talk about up close and personal!

Direct link to video from W Colby on Youtube.

Malheur Heli-Rappel

Continuing with videos of helitack and heli-rappel crews crews. Here is a nice video from feener productions of Life on the Malheur Rappel Crew uploaded in September 2013. The video is about eight minutes long, there is no audio. I looked the footage so I am sharing it here. Enjoy. Thanks Malheur Rappel Crew for all you do and stay safe!


Direct link to video

ODF Helitack (2015)

Continuing with videos from helitack crews, here is a nice video about the Oregon Department of Forestry helitack crew highlighting their 2015 season. Nice work everyone and have a safe 2016 season.


Direct link to video

Kootenai Helitack (2015)

Continuing with more videos. Today I am sharing a very nice video showing the Kootenai Helitack 2015 fire season. Kootenai Helitack is based in Libby, Montana and is used as an initial attack resource. Thanks for all you do, and have a safe 2016 season/


Direct link to video

Time for some helicopters

Some of you know that I have a special place in my heart for helicopters. On a slightly warm, but pleasant summer afternoon I am sharing some footage of various helicopters that work wildfires. Thanks to my friends from the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page where I first watched these videos a few weeks ago (they change their videos on their video page once a week on Friday or Saturday)

These are for you Matt.

I start with some footage from the Mesa Verda Helitack 2013 season

Direct link to video

Here is a short video of helicopters (bucket and snorkle) working a wildfire in China

Direct link to video

I finish up with a video from my friends at Erickson Air Crane

Direct link to video

Chuchupate Helitack

Continuing with sharing wildland firefighting crew videos, here is another helitack crew video, this one is from the Chuchupate H-530 Helitack Crew (USFS-Los Padres National Forest) summarizing thier 2013 season. I enjoyed the footage of their helo, cockpit shots as well as external shots. There is also some footage of tankers and helos dropping as well footage of the Chuchupate Crew working fires. Allow just over 18 minutes to watch the video. 

direct link to video on youtube

Mesa Verde Helitack (2013 season)

Continuing with sharing videos from wildland firefighting crews, here is a nice video summarizing the Mesa Verde Helitack crew's 2013 season. You will see some nice helo footage as well as footage of tankers and helos dropping to support the crews on the ground.


direct link to video on youtube

Twin Falls (Idaho) Helitack

While I am supposed to be doing some reading for an upcoming article I did what I sometimes do and went on Youtube in search of interesting videos. I found myself thinking about helos, perhaps because of my friend Matt who recently passed who loved helicopters (go here). I started out with a video that a friend of mine sent me of helos dipping. Youtube displays related videos on the right side of the page, and I eventually ended up watching a great 13 minute video highlighting the Twin Falls Helitack crew's 2013 season. The video was uploaded by Dave Frey with the whole crew contributing footage.

I love this video because it gave me some insight into what life is like on a helitack crew. As I understand it, the Twin Falls Helitack crew's, based in southern Idaho, primary mission is to do initial attack using a type II helicopter. When the helitack crew is dispatched to a fire, they load up their gear in the helo and fly to the fire where work the wildfire on the ground. They have a nice webpage (here) where you can go to learn more about the structure of the crew, and crew duties, and requirements to be on the helitack crew. 

You will see some footage of the helitack crew on the ground working fires. From time to time you will see shots that were probably taken by one of the helitack crew members of a tanker dropping retardant or a helo dropping on the fire. I like images such as these because I can see what aerial firefighting is all about, supporting the crews on the ground. 

direct link to video on youtube

Washington State NR Helitack

A few weeks ago, Washington Helitack Program under
the Washington DNR Fire and Aviation Program first came on my radar. At that time, I was involved with some other articles on this blog, but knew that I had to write an article Washington Helitack with links where you can read more about this helitack program. 

I understand that the Washington DNR has been using helicopters since sometime in the 1960s, and currently has five Huey Helicopters flying firefighting crews to fires. The Hueys are also equipped with bambi buckets. If you go to the Washington DNR Fire and; Aviation Page, you will see that:

DNR helicopters provide direct aviation support for initial attack, wildfire suppression operations on DNR-protected lands. If there is a need for extended attack and large fire support, assignments are on a case-by-case basis.

The Fire Aviation Crew is an elite firefighting team consisting of pilots, managers, support truck drivers, and firefighters. Currently, the program staffs 5-6 initial attack helicopters on a daily basis. Crews are available for dispatch throughout all of Washington State. Aircraft are off the ground and en route to the fire within five minutes of dispatch.

There are a couple of short pdf files that you can download and find out more about the Washington DNR helicopters, an about us document and a short history of the Washington DNR Fire and Aviation Program (with some photos of helos going back to the 1960s).

There is a nice flickr page of photos of the 2012 helitack training,. Here is an article on the 2012 Helitack training with a couple links for news coverage on the training. The Daily Sun News had a nice article (from 2010) where you can learn a little more about what is involved in helitack training.
For photos of the Washington Helitack crew, check out this flickr page. Finally, I found another nice article from the Yakima Herald, this one also from 2010, about helitack.

The video that I embedded above is from the 2005 season, you might want to check out the description of that video on this youtube page.

helitack and rappellers redux

My last post on smokejumpers will post tomorrow. In the meantime, I ran across two articles today that I want to pass on to you.

The first an article reporting the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Black Hills Interagency Helitack (South Dakota).

The second article, on rappelling may be found here. The author discusses the history and some details on training and the like. Check it out!

heli-rappelling

Direct link to video

Some helitack crews do what is known as heli-rappelling. Heli-rappelling, according to the Interagency Helicopter Rappel Guide (IHRG) is

the deployment of personnel from a hovering helicopter by means of an approved rope, descent device and supplementary equipment. Rappelling is comprised of a smooth, controlled expeditious descent to the ground.

Among other things, the IHRG, discusses required qualifications and training, equipment, rappel operations, and cargo letdown operations. There is also a section with definitions. I spent a little time this morning skimming this document to get an idea of federal helicopter rappel operations.

May 16, 2016. The video that I originally embedded here is no longer available on youtube, so I have replaced it with a video of the Salmon River Helirapplers 2009 season

This is an excellent short "documentary" by the Nevada (State) Division of Forestry's Air Operations based in Minden, Nevada. Here you will hear personnel such as the air operations supervisor, the helicopter manager and others talk about the role of helitack in initial attack. They also talk about their helicopters. Sit back and enjoy the show.