Governor’s Budget Provides $72 Million for Additional Firefighting Aircraft This Season

Jul. 2—SACRAMENTO — Thanks to $72 million in funding from Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2023-24 budget, Cal Fire has secured the use of 24 aircraft to bolster firefighting efforts during this year's fire season.

Butte County will host one of the aircraft, state officials announced Saturday.

Cal Fire will benefit from 19 helicopters and five airplanes for a contractual period of 90-120 days. The airplanes include three air tankers, each of which can carry 4,000 gallons of fire retardant.

Cal Fire Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler said that "the significant rainfall California experienced last winter has led to a substantial increase of highly flammable fuels, which contribute to the rapid escalation of fires." Tyler added that last week alone, Cal Fire responded to more than 300 wildfires as temperatures continued to rise across the state.

State officials plan to post the firefighting aircraft in Tuolumne, San Diego, Tulare, Humboldt, Mariposa, Nevada, Siskiyou, Sacramento, Fresno, Shasta, San Luis Obispo, Napa, Placer, Lassen, Riverside and Sonoma counties, in addition to Butte.

Cal Fire's aviation system has grown to more than 60 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, making the agency the largest civil aerial firefighting fleet worldwide. Cal Fire uses these aircraft to responds to thousands of wildfires by dropping water and retardant throughout the state each year.

Cal Fire also reminds the public that the law strictly prohibits the use of drones in areas with fire activity. Drone operation hampers aerial firefighting capabilities and poses significant risks to lives, property and natural resources.

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