Wildfires have been raging across North America lately, burning through several National Parks across the United States. Several different types of teams work to fight these fires, from boots-on-the-ground wildland firefighters to a multitude of aircraft. One of the more successful resources in fighting fires in difficult terrain is the water scooper aircraft. These impressive planes dive down towards lakes or rivers, quickly skimming the surface to collect the water needed to cool down flames and slow the fire’s spread.
What Are Scooper Aircraft?
Water scooper aircraft are amphibious. They skim the surface of a body of water to collect up to 1,600 gallons of water in as little as 12 seconds. They usually use lakes but can scoop from any water source that’s about 6.5 feet deep and 300 feet wide.
Once they’ve collected the water into an onboard tank, the planes drop in on a wildfire. These scoopers can drop water on wildland fires from from about 100 to 150 feet above ground level.
Why Scooper Aircraft Are Vital for Wildfire Fighting
When fires are burning on difficult-to-access terrain that ground crews can’t easily access, or when a rapid initial response is necessary to cool down flames and slow the spread, scooper aircraft are especially effective.
“Scoopers are used on wildfires when there’s a large body of water nearby, like a lake or river, that they can quickly skim to fill their tanks.” – USFWS
Other Aircraft in Wildland Firefighting
Several other types of aircraft are used in wildland firefighting beyond scooper aircraft. Airtankers carry fire retardant to slow down burns, with the largest carrying up to 9,400 gallons at once. A multitude of helicopters can transport firefighters and cargo or drop water or retardant. Crews will also use helicopters for fire reconnaissance, aerial ignition operations, search and rescue, law enforcement missions, short-haul, and more.
Leadplanes assist and direct larger airtankers that drop retardant on wildfires. Air Attack aircraft often work to coordinate aircraft on an incident, staying in direct contact with the Incident Commander on initial attack or large fires. Lastly Smokejumper aircraft deliver smokejumpers by parachute for initial fire response.
Limitations Of Scooper Aircraft
Of course fighting burns with aircraft can be a dangerous and unpredictable task, and it comes with limitations. Pilots have to fly low and close to flames, with intense heat, smoke, and turbulence creating difficult flying conditions. In case of an accident response can be extremely difficult, with aerial firefighting often occurring in remote and rugged terrain. Plus scooper aircraft can be limited by the amount of water available in the area.
