As California braces for peak wildfire season, Gov. Gavin Newsom joined state fire officials June 29 to highlight new fire suppression equipment and technology, and also remind residents that wildfires are still inevitable despite record rain and snow levels.
Newsom said that Californians are living in a “new reality” where past predictive models are no longer indicators of how to prepare for wildfire seasons. In the past four years, the state faced two historically damaging wildfire seasons, and two moderate seasons, he said.
“We’re here mindful that we need to do things differently,” Newsom said at a news conference in Nevada County.
Newsom said after recently adding 1,350 new fire crew positions, the state also plans to beef up its fleet of suppression tools, like Firehawk helicopters, which are equipped with night vision.
The state is also deploying new intelligence systems that use infrared technology, accessing more satellites and adding 100 mountaintop cameras, among other methods to better map and predict fire movement.
It’s tempting to think that this winter’s historic rain and snow levels means California’s wildfire season this year will be mild. But it’s a lot more complicated than that, said Cal Fire Director/Fire Chief Joe Tyler.
Tyler said that across California, the number of fires has decreased in the early season due to winter rains. But rainfall has also made new vegetation spring up, which is now dried up and ready to burn as temperatures get hotter.
Not to mention, dead vegetation from years of drought still lingers in state forests, which does not go away in just a single year of good rainfall levels, he said.
“Wildfires are a fact in California. It’s not a question of if, it’s a matter of when that fire is going to strike,” Tyler said. “It’s extremely important that we are all prepared as we enter the holiday weekend and throughout the 2023 fire year.”
Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said that this year, California is best positioned to fight fires out of anywhere in the country, due to strong partnerships and extensive preparation.
Ward added that the state has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars toward community hardening practices via the Listos California program, which has prepared over 1 million Californians for disasters in less than a year of outreach work.
“While California may lead in the uniqueness of disasters, we do have the benefit of the best trained, the best equipped and the most tested first responders anywhere in the world,” she said.
During the news conference, Cal Fire helicopter program chief pilot Benjamin Berman introduced the department’s newest aerial resource in its fleet—the S70i Cal Fire Hawk. Outfitted by United Rotorcraft, the aircraft will provide a 300% increase in fire suppressant capacity and a 30% faster response time to delivering fire suppressant. It is suitable for wildfire response both day and night, as well as air rescues and vegetation management without additional configuration, he said.
Cal Fire has secured an additional 24 firefighting aircraft to improve their response efforts due to a $74 million allocation from the state.
“Ground crews from Cal Fire and our interagency and local government partners control, contain and extinguish wildfires,” Berman said. “But the Cal Fire Hawk behind us provides them the essential tools in achieving that objective.”
Nevada County Supervisor Lisa Swarthout said recent Cal Fire investments will make a significant difference between life and death during wildfire season. In May, the county accepted a $1.7 million Cal Fire grant that will reduce fuels along evacuation routes and wildland urban interface.
“The historic investment from the state of California has allowed Cal Fire to create the largest firefighting force in our state’s history, and for this, we are very grateful,” Swarthout said.
Residents can find educational information on how to reduce wildfire risks at their local fire station or by visiting fire.ca.gov/prepare.
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