Meanwhile, helicopters carry firefighters to the edges of the blaze to attack it from the ground. They also provide protection from above. Firefighting helicopters can make precise water drops along escape routes for people fleeing the flames.
When fast-spreading fires make an escape impossible, helicopter teams are often called to come to the rescue. On the night of September 5, more than 200 campers were trapped near a lake in the Sierra National Forest in California. A quick-moving fire blocked the only road out of the campground. Two military helicopters battled dense smoke and strong winds to get everyone out safely.
“Every piece of vegetation as far as you could see around that lake was on fire,” one of the pilots later told reporters.
Even when staying above the flames, aerial firefighters aren’t out of danger. In August, two helicopter pilots, one in California and one in Oregon, died in crashes while dropping water on raging fires.
Experts predict that this year’s devastating wildfire season is far from over. Aerial firefighters and rescuers know they need to be ready for whatever comes their way.
“In this line of work, the more we prepare for any situation we might face, the greater the chance we’ll be successful,” Haas says.