Aviation-Guide - Flipbook - Page 39
Air Attack or Air Tactical Aircraft is an airplane that flies over an incident,
providing tactical coordination with the incident commander on the ground, and
directing airtankers and helicopters to critical areas of a fire for retardant and water
drops. CAL FIRE uses OV-10As and King Air A200s for its air attack missions.
Glossary
Firefighting Aircraft means support of the firefighters on the ground from aircraft in
the air. Aircraft can access steep, rocky or unsafe areas before ground forces are able
to gain entry. CAL FIRE has the largest state owned firefighting air fleet including 23
airtankers, 12 helicopters and 17 air attack aircraft.
Airtanker is a fixed-wing aircraft that can carry fire retardant or water and drop it on
or in front of a fire to help slow the fire down. CAL FIRE uses Grumman S-2T airtankers
for fast initial attack delivery of fire retardant on wildland fires. The S-2T carries 1,200
gallons of retardant and has a crew of one – the pilot.
Helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can be fitted with a tank or carry a bucket
with water or fire retardant. The tanks or buckets can be filled on the ground by
siphoning water from lakes, rivers or other water sources. CAL FIRE uses UH-1H Super
Huey helicopters for fast initial attack on wildfires. CAL FIRE’s copters are able to
quickly deliver a nine-person fire crew wherever needed as well as battle fires with
water/foam drops.
Fire Retardant is a slurry mix consisting of a chemical salt compound, water, clay or
a gum- thickening agent, and a coloring agent. The retardant is used to slow or retard
the spread of a fire. At nine pounds per gallon, an S-2T can carry 10,800 pounds.
Military Helicopter Manager is a trained firefighter that flies aboard military
helicopters when they are called to assist during major wildfires. The Military
Helicopter Manager helps guide and coordinate military pilots, while communicating
with the air tactical supervisor. This position ensures that military aircraft are used
safely and efficiently during emergencies.
Initial Attack means the first attack on the fire. The number of resources sent on the
first dispatch to a wildfire depends upon the location of the fire, the fuels in the area
(vegetation, timber, homes, etc) and current weather conditions. Municipal fire departments would call this the first alarm. Most fires are caught within the first burn period
(the first two hours). Therefore, the vast majority of the fires CAL FIRE responds to are
considered initial attack fires.
Extended Attack means that the fire has burned beyond the area of origin, and
beyond the initial attack phase, and additional resources are called. If the fire cannot
be confined in the area of origin even with a substantial addition of resources, and
a long-term resource commitment and logistical support will be required, then it is
considered a major attack or a major fire.
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