CAL FIRE is a state agency responsible for protecting natural resources from fire on land designated by the State Board of Forestry as state responsibility area (SRA). [iStock]
Key Takeaways:
CAL FIRE operates the world's largest civil aerial firefighting fleet, serving as California's primary agency for protecting its natural resources and communities from the increasing threat of wildfires.
The agency is actively modernizing its fleet by adding advanced aircraft, including C-130H Hercules tankers and new Sikorsky S70i CAL Firehawk helicopters, significantly enhancing its capacity, safety, and ability to respond to complex incidents, including night operations.
Aerial firefighting requires highly specialized pilots operating in extremely hazardous conditions, supported by rigorous in-house training programs that utilize state-of-the-art flight simulators for all primary aircraft types to ensure operational readiness and safety.
Forest fires have become an ever-increasing part of the news cycle.
Whether ignited by man or nature, they often rage out of control, sometimes overwhelming or outpacing the resources necessary to get them under control. Forest fires are part of the natural cycle of forest management, but when fires threaten life and property on a grand scale, human intervention is needed.
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