The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is spending almost $300 million for powerful, new helicopters equipped to fight wildfires throughout the night. Cal Fire is taking delivery of a dozen $24 million Sikorsky Blackhawks, which have four engines, can fly much faster, and carry far more water than the aging fleet of single-engine Super Hueys.
The pilots can fly the new helicopters while wearing night vision goggles allowing them to fly even in darkness. In the past air support for wildfires typically has halted at sunset. However, Cal Fire's aviation chief says it could take a year or two to hire and train enough pilots to keep the helicopters operating around-the -clock and make nighttime firefighting routine.
The federal government is also augmenting Cal Fire's fleet of 54 Grumman air tankers with seven larger and faster C-130 tankers, which are coming from the Coast Guard, free of charge.