As Trump defunds federal firefighting, California steps up: introducing the world’s largest helicopter firefighting fleet

Earlier this month, the Governor sent a model executive order to the White House for the President to issue to help the federal government match California’s efforts and better manage its forestlands, which make up 57% of California’s forests (compared to just 3% managed by the state). 

This comes amid the Trump administration’s dangerous cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the state. The U.S. Forest Service has lost 10% of all positions and 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire response – both of which are likely to impact wildfire response this year. Just last week, the Trump administration proposed a massive reorganization that would shutter the Pacific Regional Forest Service office and other regional Forest Service offices across the West, compounding staff cuts and voluntary resignations across the agency.

The world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet – just got even bigger

The new Fire Hawk helicopters add to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. Governor Newsom recently announced that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations. 

CAL FIRE’s history with helicopters in firefighting dates back to the 1960s, when the Department first utilized choppers for reconnaissance and transport. Their versatility and ability to operate in challenging terrain led to their adoption for fire suppression in support of ground crews. 

“The completion of our S-70i Fire Hawk fleet and the transition of all Helitack bases is thanks to the dedication of the entire CAL FIRE aviation program,” said CAL FIRE Chief and Director Joe Tyler. “This is about equipping our firefighters with the most advanced tools available to respond to the increasing complexities of wildland fires.”

In the 1980s, CAL FIRE began its helicopter fleet with the Bell Huey, and for over four decades, the Huey has been the workhorse of the CAL FIRE Helitack program.

The impacts of the transition to the purpose-built S-70i Fire Hawk, which began in 2018, are significant:

• Increased water-dropping capacity: The Fire Hawk can carry nearly three times as much water as its predecessors (1000 gallons), allowing for more effective and immediate suppression efforts.
• Enhanced night operations: Outfitted for night operations, the Fire Hawk extends CAL FIRE’s ability to fight fires around the clock, a critical advantage in containing rapidly spreading incidents. This capability proved valuable in January when CAL FIRE responded to the Palisades Fire. Multiple CAL FIRE helicopters, and partner agency aircraft, conducted crucial night operations in the Mandeville Canyon area, dropping over 375,000 gallons of water. Operating at low altitudes under night vision goggles (NVG) and navigating complex terrain and hazards such as high-tension power lines, flight crews were instrumental in halting the fire’s advance toward residential neighborhoods. Had the fire breached Mandeville Canyon, projections indicated a rapid spread toward the 405 Freeway corridor, putting hundreds of homes at risk. The combined nighttime and daylight operations ultimately prevented structural loss and showcased the value of CAL FIRE’s modernized aerial fleet and highly trained personnel in defending high-risk urban interface zones. CAL FIRE flew its first night mission with the Fire Hawk in 2022 in response to the Electra Fire.
• Expanded crew and capabilities: With the capacity for more crew and an external permanently affixed hoist, the Fire Hawk provides greater flexibility for personnel deployment and rescue operations.
• Improved flight safety: These state-of-the-art helicopters offer a greater degree of safety for firefighters and the community.

Governor Newsom receives a demo of a CAL FIRE Fire Hawk simulator.

California’s unprecedented wildfire readiness 

As part of the state’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, CAL FIRE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually – nearly double that of the previous administration. Over the next four years and beyond, CAL FIRE will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state’s growing demands.

In recent months, the Governor has announced millions of dollars in investments to protect communities from wildfire – with $135 million available for new and ongoing prevention projects and $72 million going out the door to projects across the state. This is part of over $5 billion the Newsom administration, in collaboration with the legislature, has invested in wildfire and forest resilience since 2019. Additionally, 54 new vegetation management projects spanning nearly 12,000 acres have already been fast-tracked to approval under the streamlined process provided by the Governor’s March 2025 state of emergency proclamation.

This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires. New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate.