Opinion: California needs more air power to fight wildfires

The year 2020 will be etched in history not only for the pandemic that swept the nation, but also for the devastating wildfire season California experiencedthat left hardly any region of the state untouched and set a record for the most acres burned in a single year at 4.1 million, leaving the Central Valley to struggle with harmful air pollution for dangerous periods of time.

Unfortunately, as we begin the new year with fires and public safety power shutoffs due to high winds that stretched from Los Angeles to the Central Valley and Bay Area, 2021 is on track to be yet another record-breaking year.

It’s well known that California has a history with destructive wildfires, which is why it’s home to some of the most advanced firefighting operations in the country through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service. These organizations have an extensive fleet of firefighting aircraft and access to a large crew of trained local, state, federal and volunteer firefighters.

While their expertise is unmatched, 2020’s wildfire conditions strained the available resources of these organizations and sparked concerns over our ability to effectively fight the fires that threatened our state. Resources were stretched so thin that fire officials were forced to choose which communities would receive ground crews, engines and air support over others. 

The Sacramento Bee reported that USFS officials said they were doing the best they could with limited equipment and manpower. A USFS spokesperson stated at the time: “We’re still in a critically short supply. Where the fire has the greatest threat is where we put the greatest effort.”

It is clear that more must be done at the state and federal level such as increasing the federal disaster cost share for any federal disaster declaration to utilizing the latest advanced firefighting technologies such as Containerized Aerial Firefighting Systems (CAFFS).

Last year’s wildfire woes underscored the need for increased investment in CAFFS and alternative firefighting systems that provide ground crews with dependable cover from the air. Technologies such as CAFFS can come alongside firefighters to provide a rapid surge of retardant over a live fire and help put the fire out quicker by attacking it from more than one point of contact.

Especially with climate changing and drought conditions worsening, we should act now, across all levels of government, to ensure our firefighters have the resources they need so they are no longer forced to choose which communities to save.

Billions of dollars are spent each year on recovery, restoring the environment and helping rebuild communities after wildfires. This spending can be reduced by making strategic investments in other solutions that increase our capacity to fight fires and prevent further destruction.

Aerial firefighting technology is readily available and could effectively transform California’s firefighting capabilities as well as those of our neighboring states. It will provide our crews with more resources and tools so that they can effectively protect our state and return home safely to a community that’s still standing.

As we prepare for the 2021 wildfire year and welcome a new president, we urge the USFS under the new Biden Administration to examine the latest aerial firefighting capabilities coupled with additional resources to protect our state and communities. It will provide our crews and communities with more resources and tools to protect communities and put out fires more swiftly. 

Congressman Jim Costa represents California’s 16th Congressional District in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. Congressman David G. Valadao represents the 21st Congressional District, which includes Kings County and portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.