The size of the flying assault on the Palisades Fire in , Los Angeles , was on full screen Monday during a break in the , Santa Ana , breezes, in video posted by the , Los Angeles County Fire Department , depicting planes and helicopters swooping over cliffs to defend homes and businesses under risk.
Among the newest plane in the armory: The S-70 Firehawk, sold by , Stratford-based , Sikorsky , and a , Colorado , firm that fits out the aircraft for fire jobs.
While , Sikorsky , makes the , Black Hawk , now in , Bridgeport , and , Stratford, Firehawk planes are manufactured at its PZL Mielec stock in , Poland. A , Colorado , firm called United Rotorcraft next adds onboard systems and equipment before last supply to , U. S.  , clients.
The , California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , chose the Firehawk several years ago as its go-to aircraft for rescue and rescue. While hovering over a body of water, the Firehawk is tote 1, 000 liters in a chest tank tucked beneath the main aircraft.
In the past few weeks,  , Cal Fire  , and others have been sharing images of Firehawk helicopter crews running day and night to stop the LA flames that are to blame for the deaths of at least 24 individuals at last statement on Tuesday. The , Los Angeles , place was bracing Tuesday evening for the continuation of large winds that have been hampering efforts to contain the fires.
” Our emotions are with those impacted by the devastating flames and the users, crew, and first responders who are performing operations to save life, home and natural resources”, read a , Sikorsky , speech forwarded by a director in response to a CT Insider comment on the Firehawk. ” We are offering our support and making tools available to support public safety authorities participating in the , California , epidemic response work”.
Sikorsky , parent , Lockheed Martin , announced$ 1 million in donations to , California , relief groups, and an additional$ 1 million in support for its , California , employees who have been affected.
Cal Fire , put in its first order in 2018 for a dozen Firehawks, and secured funding for four more in 2022 according to press releases by the department and , Lockheed Martin.  , Cal Fire , had previously depended on surplus military UH-1H Super Huey helicopters made by Bell that it had modified for firefighting, which it has kept in reserve since as it has taken delivery of , Sikorsky , Firehawks according to the department’s website.
Besides , Cal Fire , and the , Los Angeles County Fire Department, other , California , entities with Firehawk helicopters include fire departments in , Orange County,  , Santa Barbara County , and , Ventura County, according to agency websites.
The Firehawk can be configured with two stretchers for medical evacuation and has room for up to 11 firefighters and equipment in the main cabin. Can both people and livestock be safely lifted off an external hoist device? The helicopter can stay aloft for up to two-and-a half hours on a single tank of fuel, according to , Cal Fire, depending on loads and conditions.
Those capabilities don’t come cheap — the , Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control , paid$ 26 million for a second Firehawk last year, according to state documents and news reports.
To fight the , Los Angeles , fires,  , Cal Fire , has brought in other aircraft crews to help battle the blazes, including , Siller Helicopters , in , Northern California , which use Skycrane and S-61 helicopters once made by , Sikorsky , in , Stratford. Designed as an all-purpose helicopter for heavy cargos, the Skycrane’s tank can hold 2, 000 gallons of water.
” At this point, the paperwork flow is such that I don’t yet have the information on how many runs we have taken”, said , Hunt Norris, general manager of , Siller Helicopters, in response to a CT Insider query. ” Eventually I will. We currently have two CH-54A , Sikorsky , Skycranes on the LA fires”.
The California Air National Guard , has deployed crews flying , Sikorsky , Pave Hawk rescue helicopters to provide firefighter support in , Los Angeles, as well as C-130 Hercules airplanes made by , Lockheed Martin , that carry big cylinders in their cargo holds to spray water or flame retardants. Other helicopters from Bell and , Boeing , are also being used in the fight.
On Tuesday, the , Los Angeles County Fire Department , reported only negligible progress in containing the huge Palisades Fire and , Eaton Fire , despite the efforts of more than 8, 300 people battling the two blazes. Weather forecasts for the next few days and an unanticipated impact on aerial operations were expected to worsen overnight.
” Yesterday the name of the game was really just get ready for the , Santa Ana , wind event that we know is coming”, said , Don Fregulia, an operations section chief for , Cal Fire , working the Eaton Fire zone. We have this fire pinned down right now, but that doesn’t mean it has any chance of spreading to other people.
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( c ) 2025 The Hour
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