MENDOCINO CO., 8/1/25 – California now has the world’s largest fleet of civilian aerial firefighting equipment, Govenor Gavin Newsom said Friday.
The declaration comes as Cal Fire purchased two more Sikorsky S-70i Fire Hawk helicopters, bringing the state’s collection to 16.
The purchase is part of Cal Fire’s multi-year project to upgrade the state’s aerial firefighting tools. Now all the Vietnam-era Huey UH-1H helicopters that the state was using have been replaced by the state-of-the-art Fire Hawks, the Governor’s office said.
In a June interview with Cal Fire Humboldt Del Norte Unit chief Kurt McCray, one Fire Hawk costs as much as $22 million.
Fire Hawks have been in service since the first one was purchased in 2020.
In addition to improved flight safety, the Fire Hawks can carry almost three times as much water as the Huey helicopters – 1,000 gallons. The helicopters are also equipped with night flying capabilities, allowing Cal Fire to fight fires from the air 24/7.
The old Huey helicopters will still be used, including to monitor prescribed burns.
In a press conference at McClellan Airfield in Sacramento, Newsom name-checked President Donald Trump. “With the Trump Administration pulling back on federal firefighting, California continues to step up to protect our communities,” he said, referring to Trump’s decision to consolidate federal firefighting efforts and to reduce funding for wildfire mitigation work across federally managed forests across the country, including Mendocino National Forest.
In early July, Newsom asked Trump to sign an executive order requiring the federal government to match state and local investments in wildfire prevention efforts.
Trump has not taken an action in response to Newsom’s request.
In addition to upgrading the state’s firefighting helicopter fleet, the state has also invested millions in wildfire prevention projects. Cal Fire also plans to hire thousands of new firefighters in the next four years, the Governor’s office said.