Bombardier CL-415 waterbomber of the Province of Québec

Aerial firefighting is a method to combat wildfires using aircraft. The types of aircraft used may be either fixed-wing or helicopters. Agents used to fight fires may be either water or specially-formulated fire retardants. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x676, 346 KB) Government of Quebec waterbomber Government of Quebec File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x676, 346 KB) Government of Quebec waterbomber Government of Quebec File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Canadair CL-415 is a Canadian amphibious aircraft purpose-built as a water bomber. ... During the 1960s, a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) launched a decade of bombings, robberies and attacks on government offices. ... The Old Fire burning in the San Bernardino Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, brush fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or... Fixed-wing aircraft is a term used to refer to what are more commonly known as airplanes in North American English and aeroplanes in Commonwealth English, although the latter is falling out of use in New Zealand. ... The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors (propellers). ...

Equipment

A wide variety of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are used for aerial fighting. The aircraft themselves are sometimes referred to as water bombers, despite the frequent use of other additives.

Helicopters may be fitted with tanks or carry buckets. Buckets are usually filled by submerging in lakes, reservoirs, or portable tanks. The most popular of the buckets is the flexible Bambi Bucket. Tanks may be filled on the ground or water may be sucked from lakes or reservoirs through a hanging snorkel. Popular firefighting helicopters include variants of the Bell 204 and the Erickson Air-Crane, Erickson S-64 Aircrane Helitanker. Categories: Stub | Firefighting ... // Overview The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, commonly (or officially in the USMC) known as the Huey, was a multipurpose military helicopter, famous for its use in the Vietnam war. ... CH-54 Tarhe carrying an M551 Sheridan tank on a sling mount in Vietnam. ...

Fixed-wing aircraft are fitted with tanks which can be filled on the ground at an airtanker base or, in the case of flying boats and amphibians, by skimming water from lakes, reservoirs, or large rivers. Boeing 314 A flying boat is an aircraft that is designed to take off and land on water, in particular a type of seaplane which uses its fuselage as a floating hull (instead of pontoons mounted below the fuselage). ... An amphibious or amphibian aircraft is an aircraft that can land on either land or water. ...

Various aircraft have been used over the years for firefighting. Though World War II era bombers were for a long time the mainstay of the aerial firefighting fleet, newer purpose-built tankers are coming online. The smallest are the Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs). These are agricultural sprayers that generally drop about 800 gallons of water or retardant. Medium aircraft include the S-2 Tracker (retrofitted with turboprop engines as the S-2T) as used by the California Division of Forestry, while the Douglas DC-4, C-130 Hercules, Neptune P-2V, P-3 Orion and others have been used as heavy tankers. The largest aerial firefighters currently in use include two converted Martin Mars flying boats in British Columbia, carrying 7,200 U.S. gallons of water or fire retardant each. The Russian government operates an IL-76 aerial firefighter that can carry up to 15,000 gallons, and Evergreen International Aviation is developing a Boeing 747 aerial firefighter that can carry 24,000 gallons World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... The Grumman S-2 (formerly S2F) Tracker was the first US Navy anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft designed specifically for the purpose. ... The designation DC-4 was used by Douglas Aircraft Company when developing the DC-4E as a large, four-engined type to complement its forthcoming DC-3 design. ... A United States Air Force C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop aircraft that serves as the main tactical airlifter for military forces worldwide. ... P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a patrol aircraft of the United States military used primarily for anti-submarine warfare. ... The Martin JRM Mars was the largest flying boat ever to enter production. ... Boeing 314 A flying boat is an aircraft that is designed to take off and land on water, in particular a type of seaplane which uses its fuselage as a floating hull (instead of pontoons mounted below the fuselage). ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Splendour without diminishment) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Area 944,735 km² (5th) • Land 925,186 km² • Water 19,549 km² (2. ... An Il-76 serving Aeroflot The Ilyushin Il-76, NATO codename Candid, is a 4-engined heavy transport aircraft in widespread use in eastern Europe and Africa. ... Evergreen International Aviation is a global aviation services company based in McMinnville, OR. They are primarily known for Evergreen International Airline, which flies Boeing 747 cargo planes to destinations around the world. ... Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-412 The Boeing 747, commonly called the Jumbo Jet, is one of the most recognizable modern airliner and is the largest airliner currently in service. ...

PBY Catalina flying boat

Similar in configuration to the World War II-era PBY Catalina – also a common firefighting aircraft – the Canadair CL-215, CL-217, and Bombardier CL-415 are the only aircraft designed and built specifically for fire fighting. The Canadian "Super Scoopers" are not common in the United States because of a lack of suitable water sources in wildfire-prone states, but Los Angeles County leases two CL-415s from the Province of Québec during the fire season and the states of Minnesota and North Carolina own CL-215s, with a company in Arizona owning several that work on contract in other states. Image File history File links A civilian PBY Catalina airtanker used in fighting wildfires. ... Image File history File links A civilian PBY Catalina airtanker used in fighting wildfires. ... PBY Catalina was the US Navy designation for an American and Canadian-built flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. ... PBY Catalina was the US Navy designation for an American and Canadian-built flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. ... The CL-215 was the first model in a series of purpose-built firefighting aircraft built by Canadair and later Bombardier. ... The Canadair CL-415 is a Canadian amphibious aircraft purpose-built as a water bomber. ... Map of California showing Los Angeles County. ... During the 1960s, a terrorist group known as the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) launched a decade of bombings, robberies and attacks on government offices. ...

The O-2 Skymaster and OV-10 Bronco are used as spotters and the Beechcraft Baron is used as a lead plane or air attack ship. The O-2 Skymaster is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster. ... The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop-driven light attack and cargo aircraft. ... Beechcraft model 58 Baron Beechcraft Baron BE55 The Beechcraft Baron is a light-medium conventional twin-engine piston aircraft originally developed by Beech Aircraft Company and currently manufactured by Raytheon. ...

In the United States, most of these aircraft are privately owned and contracted to government agencies, though several state National Guards and the U.S. Marines also maintain fleets of firefighting aircraft. On May 10, 2004, The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management suddenly announced that they were cancelling contracts with operators of 33 heavy airtankers. They cited liability concerns and an inability to safely manage the fleet after the crashes of a C-130 in California and a PB4Y-2 in Colorado during the summer of 2002. Both aged aircraft broke up in flight due to catastrophic fatigue cracks at the wing roots. The United States National Guard is a significant component of the United States armed forces military reserve. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The USDA Forest Service, a United States government agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, is under the leadership of the United States Secretary of Agriculture. ... The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers Americas public lands, totaling 262 million acres (1,060,000 km²) or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. ... State nickname: The Golden State Official languages English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 4. ... Royal Canadian Air Force B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft, and was used by most of the Allied air forces in World War II. Designed as a heavy bomber, it served with distinction not only in that... State nickname: The Centennial State Other U.S. States Capital Denver Largest city Denver Governor Bill Owens (R) Senators Wayne Allard (R) Ken Salazar (D) Official language(s) English Area 269,837 km² (8th)  - Land 268,879 km²  - Water 962 km² (0. ... 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In materials science, fatigue is a process by which a material is weakened by cyclic loading. ...

Bombardier's Dash 8 Q Series aircraft are the basis for two new ventures. Cascade Aerospace have converted two pre-owned Q400s to act as part-time water bomber and part-time transport for France's Sécurité Civile, one is which is registered F-ZBMC, while Neptune Aviation is converting a pre-owned Q300 as a prototype to augment their P2V aircraft. A DHC-8-400 of Flybe on the ground at Bristol Airport, Bristol, England DHC-8 landing at Bristol Airport A DeHavilland DHC-8-102 belonging to Air Inuit at Cornwall Ontario, May 2005 The de Havilland Canada DHC-8, popularly the Dash 8, is a series of twin-turboprop... The Lockheed P-2 Neptune (until 1963 the P2V Neptune) was a naval patrol bomber and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States Navy between 1947 and 1978, replacing the PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon and being replaced in turn with the P-3 Orion. ...

An Air National Guard C-130 Hercules drops fire retardant on wildfires in Southern California

An ANG C-130 fights wildfires in Southern California. ... An ANG C-130 fights wildfires in Southern California. ... Shield of the United States Air National Guard In the U.S. military, the Air National Guard (ANG), as part of the National Guard, is the organized militia of a particular U.S. state and is a reserve component of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), too. ... A United States Air Force C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop aircraft that serves as the main tactical airlifter for military forces worldwide. ...

Fire retardant

Borate salts were used in the past to fight wildfires but were found to sterilize the soil and were toxic to animals. Newer retardants use ammonium sulfate or ammonium polyphosphate with attapulgite clay thickener or diammonium phosphate with a guar gum derivative thickener. These are not only less toxic but act as fertilizers to help the regrowth of plants after the fire (however, the retardants can be toxic to fish if accidentally dropped in water and then exposed to sunlight). Fire retardants contain wetting agents, preservatives and rust inhibitors and are colored red with ferric oxide to mark where they have been dropped. Brand names of fire retardants for aerial application are Fire-Trol and Phos-Chek. The borate ion is BO33-. A borate is a compound of boron and oxygen with more electropositive elements. ... A toxin, in a scientific context, is a biologically produced substance that causes injury to the health of a living thing on contact or absorption, typically by interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes and receptors. ... Fumes from hydrochloric acid and ammonia forming a white cloud of ammonium chloride The Ammonium cation is a positively charged polyatomic ion of the chemical formula NH4+ and a molecular mass of 18. ... Sulfate is the IUPAC name for the SO42- ion (British English: Sulphate), consisting of a central sulfur atom bonded singly (sigma) to two oxygen atoms and double bonded (sigma and pi) to two oxygen atoms. ... Polyphosphates are phosphate polymers linked between hydroxyl groups and hydrogen atoms. ... Palygorskite (also known as attapulgite) is a magnesium aluminum silicate from a type of clay soil common to the Southeastern United States. ... Quaternary clay in Estonia. ... Guar gum is an edible thickening agent extracted from the guar bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba). ... Fertilizers or fertilisers are compounds given to plants with the intention of promoting growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar spraying, for uptake through leaves. ... Surfactants, also known as wetting agents, lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and the interfacial tension between two liquids. ... A preservative is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, etc. ... Iron(III) oxide - also known as ferric oxide, red iron oxide, synthetic maghemite, rouge,or rust - is one of several oxide compounds of iron, and is most notable for its ferromagnetic properties. ... Phos-Chek is the brand name of a flame retardant used to fight wildfires. ...

Some water-dropping aircraft carry tanks of a guar gum derivative to thicken the water and reduce runoff.

Tactics

A helicopter dips its bucket into a pool before returning to drop the water on a wildfire outside of Naples, Italy.

Helicopters can hover over the fire and accurately drop water or retardant. The S-64 Helitanker has microprocessor-controlled doors on its tank. The doors are controlled based on the area to be covered and wind conditions. Fixed-wing aircraft must make a pass and drop water or retardant like a bomber. Spotter aircraft often orbit the fire at a higher altitude to coordinate the efforts of the retardant-dropping aircraft. Lead planes fly ahead of larger airtankers to mark the trajectory for the drop. Download high resolution version (1362x843, 240 KB)An Italian firefighting helicopter fills its 125-gallon bag (a Bambi bucket) with water from the Carney Park public swimming pool at Naval Support Activity, Naples, Italy, to assist authorities fighting local wildfires, Sept. ... Download high resolution version (1362x843, 240 KB)An Italian firefighting helicopter fills its 125-gallon bag (a Bambi bucket) with water from the Carney Park public swimming pool at Naval Support Activity, Naples, Italy, to assist authorities fighting local wildfires, Sept. ... Categories: Stub | Firefighting ... Water (from the Old English word wæter; c. ... Microprocessors, including an Intel 80486DX2 and an Intel 80386 A microprocessor (abbreviated as µP or uP) is a computer electronic component made from miniaturized transistors on a single semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) (aka microchip or just chip). ... A trajectory is an imagined trace of positions followed by an object moving through space. ...

Water is often dropped directly on flames because its effect is short-lived. Fire retardants are often dropped ahead of the moving fire or along its edge and may remain effective for two or more days. This can create an artificial firebreaks where the terrain is too rugged or remote for ground crews to cut fireline. A firebreak is a usually-man-made gap in vegetation that is expected to slow or stop the progress of wildfires. ...

Helicopters are also used to deliver firefighters or ignite backburns and controlled burns. A driptorch slung beneath the helicopter (helitorch) can be used for this purpose. Another device called a Delayed Aerial Ignition Device (DAID) can be used, which shoots a stream of flaming "ping-pong balls" into the forest. The small plastic spheres which contain potassium permanganate are individually injected with ethylene glycol or glycerine just before they are ejected from the aircraft. This method's delayed oxidation reaction (which results in vigorous fire in just minutes after mixing the chemicals [1]) poses less of a danger to the helicopter than carrying along materials which are already on fire. The ping-pong ball system works best in continuous fuels or in areas where a mosaic burn pattern is desired. Igniting a controlled burn. ... Using a driptorch to ignite a prescribed fire A driptorch is a tool used in wildland firefighting, controlled burning, and other forestry applications to intentionally ignite fires. ... Regional competition level table tennis, showing table, net, and player getting ready to return the ball with a winning backhand topspin stroke. ... Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) is an inorganic chemical compound composed of potassium (K+) and permanganate (MnO4-) ions. ... Ethylene glycol (monoethylene glycol (MEG), IUPAC name: ethane-1,2-diol) is an alcohol with two -OH groups (a diol), a chemical compound widely used as an automotive antifreeze. ... Glycerin, also known as glycerine and glycerol, and less commonly as 1,2,3-propanetriol, 1,2,3-trihydroxypropane, glyceritol, and glycyl alcohol is a colorless, odorless, hygroscopic, and sweet tasting viscous liquid. ...

Aerial firefighting is almost always used in conjunction with ground-based efforts, as aircraft are only one weapon in the firefighting arsenal. However, there have been cases of aircraft extinguishing fires long before ground crews were able to reach them.

See also

• Smokejumper
• Fire diving

A smokejumper is a firefighter who is parachuted into a remote area to combat a wildfire. ... Fire diving is a fictional extreme sport. ...

External links

• Wildlandfire.com fixed-wing gallery
• Evergreen's supertanker
• Flying Tankers, Inc. (Martin Mars) *Video of Martin Mars tanker in operation
• Il-76 waterbomber controversy with external links from Wikipedia