Supervisors formalize request to enable night flying for firefighting aircraft

In the years since the October 2003 Cedar Fire which spread after dark, members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors have expressed concern that California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection helicopters were prohibited from flying at night.

The spread of the October 2007 fires created additional comments, and on June 17, 2008, the supervisors approved a formal motion seeking dialogue and potential legislation to allow CalFire helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to fly at night.

“Our firefighters must have every tool available,” said Supervisor Pam Slater-Price. “Allowing aerial firefighting assets to fly at night is a must-have.”

The supervisors’ motion, which passed 4-0 with Supervisor Ron Roberts absent, directed the county’s Chief Administrative Officer to work with CalFire, the US Forest Service, and the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association to establish a local agreement which would allow aerial firefighting assets to fly at night in state and Federal responsibility areas.

The motion also directed the Chief Administrative Officer, with the assistance of the county’s state and Federal lobbyists, to pursue any necessary legislative or policy changes which might be necessary to allow nighttime flying of aerial assets in state and Federal responsibility areas.

The CAO and the state legislative advocate were also directed to urge expedited retrofitting and replacement of the CalFire helicopter fleet so that CalFire helicopters can drop water at night and to urge CalFire to base a helicopter in San Diego County on a year-round permanent basis.

The CAO was also directed to work with the county’s Sheriff’s Department and with CalFire to explore the feasibility of converting the county’s two firefighting helicopters, which are owned by the county but flown by CalFire contract personnel, so that they can drop water at night, and the CAO was directed to report back to the board within 60 days with recommendations about such enhancements to the county’s helicopters.

“That hopefully will remove a barrier,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

“We should be able to fight fires day or night,” Jacob said. “A local agency should be able to drop water at night if they have the ability to do so and it’s determined that it’s safe.”

The Cedar Fire was first reported at 5:37 p.m. on October 25, 2003. All aircraft, including a Sheriff’s Department helicopter (although not one designed for firefighting), were grounded until the following morning.

The Witch Fire which began on October 21, 2007, hit Rancho Bernardo in the middle of the night and left residents with no warning to gather documents, photos, pets, and other irreplaceable items.

Not only are CalFire helicopters currently prohibited from flying at night, but the county’s two firefighting helicopters cannot fly in state responsibility areas at night.

“Our first-strike capability with these aircraft is essential,” Slater-Price said. “We need to correct this problem. I’m tired of hearing excuses why it can’t be done.”

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