CAL FIRE Expands Night Firefighting Helicopter Training
Crews from three helitack bases are training in night operations as the agency extends the capability to all 11 statewide Helitack crews.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Emergency Response
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CAL FIRE's Aviation Program is conducting night operations training this week with crewmembers from Kneeland Helitack, Bieber Helitack, and San Diego Helitack. The effort extends night firefighting capability to all 11 CAL FIRE Helitack crews statewide.
Why it matters
Standardizing night operations across every base means crews can integrate during nighttime assignments anywhere in California. Simulator hours also reduce equipment wear and operational risk compared with live flight time alone.
CAL FIRE reports that all 11 Helitack crews will have night firefighting capability, with six hoist simulators operational as of late 2025. Training runs in the McClellan and San Diego areas, and the source does not give the number of training hours per crew.
The players
CAL FIRE
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is the state agency responsible for wildfire prevention and suppression across California.
The details
Night operations training begins with classroom instruction on night vision, its limitations, and crew coordination, then moves to flight simulator exercises and nighttime flight training. All training flights follow FAA regulations and CAL FIRE safety protocols.
Timeline
2020: CAL FIRE HAWK (S-70i) introduced into the aerial fleet.
2025: Virtual Reality Air Rescue Hoist Simulator introduced at the CAL FIRE Aviation Training Center.
May 2026: An 11th Helitack base was added, completing the transition from the UH-1H Huey to the CAL FIRE HAWK.
November 4-6, 2026: Night operations training in the McClellan and San Diego areas, concluding by 11:00 PM each evening.
Seasonal Patterns
The Aviation Program's Helitack network, which completed its transition from the UH-1H Huey to the CAL FIRE HAWK in May 2026, is now extending night capability to all 11 bases. This places the training within the agency's multi-year fleet modernization rather than a one-off exercise.
Residents in and around the McClellan and San Diego training areas, including nearby communities such as Rio Vista, Placerville, and Grass Valley, may see helicopter activity during evening hours from November 4 through November 6. The source does not give specific safety guidance for the public beyond these expected flight times.
The takeaway
Night capability across all 11 Helitack bases means statewide wildfire response is no longer limited to daylight hours for these crews. Residents near training areas should expect evening flights during the scheduled November window.
What happens next
Night operations training is scheduled for November 4-6, 2026, in the McClellan and San Diego areas, with evening helicopter activity expected to conclude by 11:00 PM each night.
Further reading
For more on how wildfire agencies coordinate response across the state, see Emergency Response coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Contra Costa Herald | News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California.
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