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Neptune Aviation Services' P2V Neptune drops Phos-Chek on the 2007 WSA Complex fire in Oregon

Aerial firefighting is the use of aviation assets, both fixed and rotary wing, to fight wildfires, directly and through the movement of firefighting personnel. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, being delivered by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing aircraft, or rappelling from various helicopters. Agents used to fight fires may be either water or specially-formulated fire retardants. Aerial firefighting is almost always used in conjunction with ground-based efforts, as aircraft are only one weapon in the firefighting arsenal. However, there have been cases of aircraft extinguishing fires long before ground crews were able to reach them.

Terminology varies from agency to agency, but in the U.S. many of the overall operational procedures are governed by interagency guidelines and policies, and in these, aerial firefighting broadly encompasses three basic missions:

• Aerial application of fire retardant or water by airtanker or helicopter
• Insertion of figherfighting ground crews by helicopter landing, rapelling or parachuting
• Support operations, including aerial suppervision and leadplane operations

Terminology

A wide variety of terminology has been used in the popular media for the aircraft used in aerial firefighting, as well as the methods used. The terms Airtanker or air tanker generally refer to fixed-wing aircraft, with "airtanker" being the form used in official documentation. The popular media also frequently uses the terms water bomber, fire bomber or borate bomber as well. Helicopters and their methods of operation are properly referred to as helitack when they involve the movement of ground personnel, and helitanker when the sole function is dropping water or retardant.

Air attack is an industry term used for the actual application of aerial resources, both airtanker and helitack, on a fire, although colloquially, "air attack" is also a term used for the airborne manager in a spotter plane who is charged with directing the use of the aerial resources. Initial attack refers to the first-response of aerial assets to suppress a fire before it grows out of control; aviation assets can usually respond to a reported blaze much quicker than ground elements, especially for wilderness fires. Extended attack refers to the continued use of aerial assets on an out-of-control fire, primarily to assist ground units in the establishment of firelines in advance of the fire.

Airtankers

Main article: Airtanker

Fire retardant

Red-dyed line of fire retardant stands out clearly on this Arizona hill. Drop was against the Alambre Fire.

Main article: Fire retardant

Typically, fire retardant is not actually applied directly on the fire in an attempt to extinguish it, but rather dropped in a "line" ahead of the fire in order to contain it. However, when needed, retardant can also be dropped directly onto flames when needed to cool the fire and reduce flame length. Wildland fire retardants are considered to be non-toxic, and are dyed (usually red) so that the drop line can be clearly seen from the air, to aid in targeting subsequent drops. One of the most-used commercial retardants is Phos-Chek.

Helitack

Main article: Helitack

Smokejumpers

Main article: Smokejumper

Back firing

Plastic sphere dispensor on a Bell 206L LongRanger, on the Bar Complex Fire

Aerial assents can also be used to start controlled fires or back burns. In areas inaccessible to ground crews, helicopters are also used to start the fires. A driptorch, or helitorch can be slung beneath the helicopter, which then drips burning accellerant on the vegitation below. Alternatively, some agencies utilize a delayed aerial ignition device (DAID) can be used, which shoots small plastic spheres which contain potassium permanganate, commonly referred to as "ping-pong balls", into the forest. The are individually injected with ethylene glycol or glycerine just before they are ejected from the aircraft. This method's delayed oxidation reaction (which results in vigorous fire in just minutes after mixing the chemicals poses less of a danger to the helicopter than carrying along materials which are already burning. The DAID system works best in continuous fuels or in areas where a mosaic burn pattern is desired.

Operations and management

Terminology varies from agency to agency, but in the U.S. many of the overall operational procedures are governed by interagency guidelines and policies. Aerial firefighting broadly encompasses three basic missions:

• • Aerial application of fire retardant or water by air tanker or helicopter
  • Insertion of figherfighting ground crews by helicopter landing, rapelling or parachuting
  • Support operations, including aerial suppervision and leadplane operations