The recent LA wildfire crisis has once again shown the importance of business aviation in the execution of emergency response tasks. As fires ravaged more than 40 per cent of Los Angeles County, killing 27 people and destroying more than 12,000 buildings, aviation people and companies did not fail to assist in firefighting and relief efforts.
This is because One of the most significant contributions was made at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), where aviation maintenance teams worked around the clock to repair a Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” water bomber. This is because during a critical firefighting mission, a drone that was being used illegally, struck the aircraft, and it sustained substantial structural damage. However, the aerostructures team at StandardAero was able to finish the repairs required structural damage, and the aircraft was able to return to operations in record time.
In addition to the aircraft repairs, those in business aviation also played a significant role in supporting the emergency responders. Fuel for the firefighting aircraft was provided by Signature Aviation at KVNY and KLAX and the company made a contribution to the local relief efforts. Cal Fire and other emergency agencies received fuel discounts at Atlantic Aviation’s locations throughout LA. In the meantime, Long Beach Airport (KLGB) served as a donation collection site for aids to help fire victims to start their life again.
The scale of the aerial fighting was immense. To battle the flames, Cal Fire deployed airtankers and helicopters, including the Grumman S-2Ts, the Lockheed C-130s, and the Sikorsky S-70i Firehawks. The intense air traffic of the firefighting aircraft was managed by a temporary air traffic control (ATC) facility set up at Camarillo Airport (KCMA), and that became the first pop-up ATC facility staffed 24/7 for wildfire response.
The LA wildfire, especially the Hughes fire, burned more than 10,500 acres in just over a week with the help of strong winds, which peaked at 50 mph. The fight was a massive coordinated effort among multiple agencies — Cal Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Bureau of Land Management, all battling the flames together.
When the disaster struck, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had kind words for first responders and aviation teams who worked tirelessly to keep people and property safe. Business aviation has since resumed its role in assisting affected communities and strengthening the city’s backbone against future wildfires as recovery efforts begin.
