Battling danger from above: New Jersey’s aerial firefighting efforts

NEW JERSEY - With wildfire season already marking its presence through a massive fire this past weekend on Long Island, the urgency to fight these natural disasters has skyrocketed. 

Aerial firefighting plays a pivotal role in controlling these fires, providing essential support from the skies. FOX 5 NY and Good Day New York were recently given exclusive insight into their preparations for the challenging months ahead.

How do they do it?

The backstory:

Aerial firefighting techniques have evolved, but the essence remains the use of helicopters and planes to deliver water to fire-stricken areas. Robert Gill from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service explained the deployment of Huey helicopters equipped with a 325-gallon bucket called the Bambi, introduced 40 years ago. This large orange collapsible bucket has been used for aerial firefighting since its introduction four decades ago.

"We'll find a water source that's number one, close enough and deep enough for that bucket to go in, pick up that water and then deliver it to the scene of action," Gill said.

Conditions this season

This year, the firefighting units are up against harsher conditions due to an unusually dry climate and persistent droughts, especially in southern New Jersey. Chris Franek, a fire warden, says this season could be extremely active. Wildfire season begins in March, when low humidity and windy days quickly dry forested lands. It's complicated even further by lingering drought conditions.

"There's still an extreme drought in the south, southern part of the state, so we are very concerned about the activity level being equal to, or more substantial than we had in the fall," Franek said.

This fall and into November, crews were battling a massive 5,300-acre fire near the New York and New Jersey border, showing that these wildfires are stretching resources thin and burning well beyond typical seasons.

Aviation firefighting has roots in New Jersey

Local perspective:

The concept of aerial firefighting was pioneered in New Jersey back in the 1930s by one of the state's original fire chiefs, Leonidis Coyle. The air base at Coyle Field, now central to the state’s fire suppression aviation efforts, stands as a testament to his innovative approach to using gyrocopters for firefighting – a groundbreaking move at that time.

The pilot's perspective

David Dorworth, a seasoned forestry pilot who has flown numerous missions, including those over last November's Jennings Creek fire, shared his experience of the details of dropping much-needed water for crews down below.

"You know you're doing something worthwhile in the suppression of the fire," he said. "All the safety factors that we have to contend with, even though it's just a job, it's an intense job."