San Diego Fire-Rescue Allowed to Do Aerial Water Drops at Night in Cal Fire Territory

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San Diego Fire-Rescue has signed an historical agreement with Cal Fire to perform nighttime aerial water drops in Cal Fire's territory.  Although San Diego Fire and Rescue has been doing water drops at night over the city of San Diego, the outlying areas of the county that are owned by the state of California were not covered by these drops.  This changed on September 23, 2008 when San Diego Fire-Rescue Chief Tracy Jarman and Cal Fire Unit Chief Howard Windsor signed an agreement giving San Diego Fire-Rescue the authority to do these water drops with the hopes that this will decrease the amount of destruction that wildfires in Southern California have historically caused when the Santa Ana winds begin to blow by keeping fires that start in wilderness areas from moving into residential and business districts.

There are several aspects of night water drops that are different from daytime water drops.  First, the pilots must be able to make a flight during the day to map out the territory that they will be covering at night.  Second, they must both wear special night vision goggles, which cost approximately $12,000 each.  Their peripheral vision is cut down to 45 degrees, so they must make slow scanning motions with their heads to see the entire landscape around them. Third, the pilots must land at a helibase to refill their water tanks at night.  During day drops, the helicopters can hover over the water source as they fill up, but at night a full landing is required.  Lastly, the entire crew must agree that they are comfortable with a mission before they fly at night.  If even one member has concerns, the flight must be aborted.

If this arrangement between Cal Fire and San Diego Fire and Rescue is successful, other fire departments in California are hoping to make similar agreements with Cal Fire to protect the Cal Fire territories in their regions.  Cal Fire is also considering retrofitting their own helicopters with the equipment needed to do these drops themselves, or may purchase new helicopters.  Currently, the only other agency that drops water at night is Los Angeles County Fire Department, although they do not have permission to do so in Cal Fire's territory yet.