This firefighting aircraft promises to do it all – amphibious, pilotless, day and night ops, fleet coordination and an AI brain.
Marcos Aerospace, a Greek aerospace startup based in Athens, has just launched Quencher, an autonomous amphibious aircraft currently in what the company is describing as “the preliminary design phase.”
With a 4,500-litre water capacity, Quencher is designed to conduct high-frequency aerial firefighting operations both day and night. Marcos Aerospace says patent application covering the platform’s core innovations have been filed.
The company announcement describes Quencher as “a deep-tech aerial firefighting platform”.
“Quencher integrates AI-assisted navigation, automated mission management, autonomous flight controls, and swarm coordination capability. The aircraft is optimized for continuous scooping operations from seas and lakes, as well as rapid refilling at designated ground stations, enabling relentless, around-the-clock initial attack and wildfire suppression,” according to the media release.
“Quencher is not merely a new aircraft; it represents a paradigm shift and a new category in aerial firefighting,” said Marcos Caramalengos, aerospace engineer and founder of Marcos Aerospace.
The Marcos Aerospace website provides some more detail. One operator can coordinate up to five Quencher aircraft simultaneously. Maximum speed is 440km/h, cruise speed is 360 km/h, built around a Pratt and Whitney PW127 turboprop engine.
A clarification of its current status on the website shows the concept is still in its very early days: “Quencher is under development. The aircraft, systems, and operational concepts described on this site reflect the current design intent and program direction. Certification, testing, and operational deployment will follow applicable regulatory and safety requirements.”
Quencher is in Pre-Production Development Phase (2026–2029), which includes the design, engineering, and certification of the Quencher aircraft ahead of first production and commercial launch.
Marcos Aerospace says it is now open to strategic partnerships and discussions with civil protection authorities, industry stakeholders, and investors.
Europe has boosted its wildfire preparations ahead of a forecasted busy 2026 season by deploying its largest force yet of firefighters, aircraft and other experts across the continent.
The announcement comes as the World Meteorological Organisation issued a Global Seasonal Climate Update that, while highlighting the development of a strong El Nino around the Pacific, also warns of hot, dry conditions elsewhere.
“For the June-July-August season, forecasts project a nearly universal dominance of above-normal temperatures in nearly all parts of the globe,” the WMO says.
The European Commission announcement follows a record 2025 season where 1 million hectares across Europe were burned. Its 2026 pre-positioning program includes:
777 firefighters from 14 countries to be deployed across high-risk areas in 6 countries in the south of Europe
22 firefighting airplanes and 5 helicopters from the EU fleet to support countries under pressure
21 certified teams ready to intervene all over Europe
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) in Brussels is the heart of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
In addition, the EU is launching a new European regional firefighting station in Cyprus this year to strengthen wildfire preparedness and response capacities across Europe and the South Mediterranean region. The station will have the capacity to pre-position 6 aircraft and host trainings for civil protection practitioners.
Canada’s long-term pledge to build up its aerial firefighting resources has begun with the lease of 12 aircraft that will be shared nationally for the 2026 wildfire season.
As reported in March, Canada has put aside $316.7 million over the next five years for the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) to manage a national fleet of aerial firefighting resources for all provinces and territories based on current and urgent needs.
The fleet will increase Canadian surge capacity during periods of elevated wildfire activity, support rapid deployment of resources, address provincial and territorial gaps, and enhance Canada’s wildfire resilience.
This summer, Canadian wildfire agencies will have access to the following resources: • Four Dash 8-400 AT (Land-based Airtankers), one TBM960AA (Birddog), and two Forward Attack Tanker Bases through Conair Group Inc. • Three Airbus AS332 L & L1 (Heavy rotary wing helicopters) through Coldstream Helicopters Ltd. • Two Sikorsky S-92A (Heavy rotary wing helicopters) through VIH Helicopters.
These aerial assets will be strategically propositioned in Canada based on provincial and territorial need, fire activity, and preparedness level. However, aircraft can be relocated at any time to address the current situation. The operational contract period runs May 1 to September 27, 2026. All three suppliers are based in British Columbia.
CIFFC will coordinate the aerial assets on behalf of member agencies, said Kelsey Winter, Executive Director of CIFFC. “A pan-Canadian response that assists our provincial and territorial partners in reducing the increasing impact of wildfires is paramount. Together, we are building a more wildfire resilient future for our country.”
Conair proudly claims it manufactures, owns and operates the world’s largest fleet of fixed-wing aerial firefighting aircraft.
“For the first time, Canada has its own national fleet to bolster provincial and territorial firefighting capacity.” said Chris Niemann, President and CEO of Conair. “We are proud to be part of this moment in history, committed to supporting firefighters across the country using our aircraft, made in Canada and operated in Canada, supported by hundreds of Conair aerospace professionals.”
Conair promotes the Dash 8-400 as a proven platform, with more than two dozen operating worldwide. It delivers large retardant drops to slow fire progression, working alongside water scoopers to cool flames. It also operates from shorter runways closer to fire prone areas and can reload in seven minutes. Conair makes four new Dash 8-400 airtankers every year with a capacity to increase production if called upon.
Wildfire Camp will display around 20 companies and other organizations on early detection, prevention and suppression of wildfires. While small in relation to the rest of the trade fair, the arrival of Wildfire Camp signals a growing acceptance of wildland fire as an essential part of overall fire management planning and resourcing in Europe.
The Interschutz fire and rescue services trade fair is huge – around 1750 exhibitors from 55 countries will be in Hannover from 1-6 June 2026. The exhibition space fill nine halls plus outdoor displays and in the past has attracted up to 150,000 visitors.
Interschutz. Photo: Rainer Jensen
Wildfire Camp is the work of four main players – Bosch Building Technologies, the European Forest Institute (EFI), @fire, and IMBOS e.V, bringing together science, emergency responders, and technology providers.
The International Association of Wildland Fire will host a stand in the Wildfire Camp that will also include CAL FIRE, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Airbus, Drager, Husqvarna, OroraTech, Vallfirest, Waterax and others.
“Driven by climate change, which is one of our key focus topics, we decided to launch this premiere,” says Thilo Horstmann, Head of INTERSCHUTZ at Deutsche Messe AG. “The camp is far more than a simple product showcase. It has been designed by recognized experts.”
The demonstrations area is divided into pre-and post-fire management, vehicle-based firefighting, aerial support, ground crews, and special operational options.
Reflecting the desire to not just promote hardware and other services, the Wildfire Camp has a strong emphasis on understanding wildfire in a European context and learning from international experts. In addition to the outdoor demos there is a program of expert presentations and panel discussions into operational strategies, early detection technologies, prevention measures by the European Forest Institute.
As Europe and North America get an early taste of wildfire season 2026, the annual south to north migration of aerial firefighting resources is well underway amid European industry calls for more investment in aircraft.
Australia’s McDermott Aviation has started to shift its aerial firefighting fleet to Greece, marking the company’s seventh consecutive year supporting Greek authorities.
A total of 15 helicopters – including 11 Bell 214ST “Super Transporter” aircraft and four Bell 214B “Big Lifter” helitaks – are being mobilised from Australia and the United States, with operations running through to the end of October 2026. At that point, the migration resumes, but in the other direction.
Preparing to depart to Greece for wildfire season 2026, McDermott Aviation. (Photo Credit – Matt Cotter)Preparing to depart to Greece for wildfire season 2026, McDermott Aviation.
At peak deployment, 14 aircraft will be on contract at any one time, supported by approximately 100 specialist personnel rotating through Greece, alongside additional operational support teams based in Australia and working in partnership with local Greek providers.
Aircraft will be positioned across 11 bases, including key island locations and mainland sites from Araxos in the west to Alexandroupolis in the east, and from Ioannina in the north to Crete and Rhodes in the south.
The fleet will undertake aerial firefighting operations, including water bombing and the transport of ground crews, with additional capability to support evacuation, search and rescue, and broader disaster response activities.
Other aircraft fleets are also active: Coulson Aviation reports on its N561CG currently making the journey back to North America after completing its contract in Australia. Here’s a nice photo in Pago Pago, Samoa at sunset.
A report commissioned by Avincis – the largest provider of aerial services across Europe – concludes that Europe is dangerously unprepared to tackle an increase in wildfires and must expand its aerial firefighting capabilities and investment.
Avincis brought together a group of academics, business leaders and professional firefighters to produce the report, released at the Aerial Fire Fighting Series: Global Conference and Exhibition, in Rome, Italy, in March. This follows a record-breaking wildfire season in 2025, which saw more than 1.03 million hectares burn across the EU – more than any year on record – with 81 per cent of the damage concentrated in just five countries.
The report – ‘Up in flames: The challenges of fighting wildfires from the air in a hotter Europe’ – says the size and age of Europe’s aerial firefighting fleet is the most acute operational vulnerability. The €600 million commitment by the European Parliament in 2024 to procure 22 DHC-515 aircraft – amphibious firefighting aircraft developed by De Havilland Canada – across six countries, with deliveries staggered between 2027 and 2030, is welcomed by the industry but is far from sufficient.
The fleet shortage is compounded by a shortage of pilots and aircrew with difficult arrangements for foreign crews to assist.
The European Commission’s integrated wildfire strategy covers prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. It cites European Environment Agency’s European Climate Risk Assessment on how fire risk is spreading well beyond the Mediterranean, to Scandinavia, central Europe and the northwest. What was once a regional seasonal threat is becoming a continent-wide, year-round reality.
Wildfire damage to property and infrastructure costs Europe an estimated €2.5 billion (USD 2.9 billion) every year. The likelihood of such extreme fires is expected to more than double by the end of the century.
The action plan for the EU is long and detailed, and includes many steps on landscape management and restoration, support for prescribed burning, promotion of grazing and forestry to reduce wildfire risk, enhancement of the Copernicus European Forest Fire Information System for fuel mapping, more opportunities for research through Horizon Europe, initiatives to raise community awareness and education through its European Citizens Panel, increase coordinated response across Europe, and support post-fire recovery of communities and landscapes. The list goes on.
Two highlight actions include:
A new European firefighting hub in Cyprus, serving as a centre of excellence for training and seasonal readiness across the region. The new European firefighting hub will have a dual role: operational, to respond to wildfire emergencies; and capacity building. It is expected to host a centre of excellence, focusing on capacity building, training, exercises, and seasonal readiness, relying on the technical expertise and resources of the EU. Cyprus media is reporting that the EU has confirmed the hub will be co-financed between the EU and Cyprus. “Cyprus is responsible for the infrastructure, while we contribute through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) in training, exchange of best practices, preparedness and so on,” the EU said.
An expanded EU firefighting fleet, known as rescEU, with 12 new “medium amphibious” firefighting planes and five helicopters. The planes will be hosted by six EU countries: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece. The 5 helicopters will be hosted by Czechia, Slovakia, and Romania. The first new helicopters will be operational in 2026 and the first new airplanes by 2028. The first helicopter has already been delivered to Romania.
The statement makes it clear that this announcement poses no new costs. “Today’s communication does not impose any costs on Member States. On the contrary, it seeks to promote more efficiency in wildfires management.”
Roxana Mînzatu, the Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness at the European Commission, explained the need for the statement.
“Europe must be ready before the first fire starts. That means building a real culture of preparedness: equipping people with the right skills, supporting firefighters and first responders, and helping communities understand the risks they face. Today’s strategy shows that prevention, preparedness and solidarity must go hand in hand if we want to save lives and strengthen Europe’s resilience against worsening wildfire threats.”
A new and improved Bell 214ST helicopter will soon roll off the production lines with McDermott Aviation announcing the restart of manufacturing after more than 20 years for one of the main workhorses of disaster response worldwide.
McDermott Aviation is announcing the move at the Verticon aviation conference in Atlanta, US, this week. Australian-based McDermott Aviation claims the title of the world’s largest operator of the Bell 214 Series helicopters, which is a stable feature in many firefighting fleets in the Asia Pacific, Asia, North America and Europe.
Bell 214ST ‘Super transport’ helicopter. Photo: Vasilis Kranitsas.
McDermott Aviation’s ownership of the Type Certificate for the 214ST platform enables it to revamp it for the needs of modern aerial firefighting, heavy lift logistics and disaster response, and meet the certification requirements of operators worldwide.
The 214ST was originally conceived for military use at the request the Shah of Iran in the late 1970s. But with the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, Bell switched the concept to civil use and produced the first production models in 1982.
The 214ST proved to be a strong and reliable workhorse for heavy lift tasks, being capable of carrying up to 19 firefighters or passengers – ST is for Super Transport. The last 214ST was built in 1993, which means all the current aircraft in operation are well into their third decade of use or more.
Founder and President of McDermott Aviation, John McDermott, told Wildfire Today from Atlanta that his company have been improving and modifying the 214ST since its first purchase in 2012.
“They are now so popular that there are no more available on the market. We thought, well, we have got to manufacture spare parts for our helicopters why not just start building more helicopters? We have had massive support throughout the world for that. The aerial firefighting market is short of good utility helicopters that can actually do the work.”
McDermott Aviation Founder and President, John McDermott
We thought, well, we have got to manufacture spare parts for our helicopters why not just start building more helicopters?
john mcdermott
The McDermott 214ST is a twin-engine heavy utility helicopter currently powered by GE CT7 engines, capable of lifting external loads of up to 7900 pounds/3700kgs, with a cruise speed of up to 160 knots and a range exceeding 300 nautical miles. Future variants of the aircraft will incorporate the latest-generation Safran ANETO family power plants, delivering better performance, efficiency and reliability.
Delivery slots for a modified aircraft are expected to begin from 2027, with factory-new aircraft with the new airframes, engines and avionics targeted for 2028–2029 production timelines. Components will be made in various jurisdictions with the final assembly in San Bernadino, California. McDermott Aviation is based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland but plans to manufacture components there are stalled.
”We are manufacturing in America. We would like to manufacture in Australia too but CASA [Civil Aviation Safety Authority] make it so impossible to do anything,” McDermott told Wildfire Today.
“What’s particularly interesting about this program is that it’s essentially the rebirth of a tried and proven helicopter,” Mr McDermott said.
“As the new manufacturer, we have the unique advantage of being able to incorporate all the improvements that have emerged over more than 40 years of operational experience.”
This investment, from the Budget 2025 commitment to bolster provincial and territorial aerial firefighting capacity, will go to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) to lease, manage and deploy federally funded aircraft for wildfires.
Following Canada’s second worst wildfire season in history in 2025, two years after the record breaking 2023 season, and the prospect of increasingly challenging wildfires in the years to come, Canada has stepped up its national approach to aerial firefighting.
CIFFC coordinates wildfire resources among federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Over the next five years, CIFFC will use this funding to lease and manage the deployment of federally funded wildfire fighting aircraft to provinces and territories to boost their capacity during periods of intense wildfire activity.
CIFFC has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to ensure that aircraft are available for use in the 2026 wildfire season. The deadline for applications is March 23, 2026. Wildfire Today will report on which aircraft are selected to expand Canada’s aerial fleet.
The Office of Eleanor Olszewski, Minister or Emergency Management and Community Resilience provided some clarity on the announcement through press secretary, Soraya Lemur.
“This is the first time the federal government has invested directly in aerial firefighting aircraft.”
Soraya lemur, press sec for Minister for Emergency manaGEMENT
“The $316.7 million announced on February 20, 2026, is new federal funding from Budget 2025 to strengthen Canada’s aerial firefighting capacity. This investment provides Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) with funding over five years (2026-2031) to lease and deploy new aerial firefighting aircraft in support of provinces and territories during periods of high wildfire activity.”
“This is the first time the federal government has invested directly in aerial firefighting aircraft. This new funding is not linked to, or a reallocation of, any previous funding commitments and represents a significant enhancement to Canada’s national wildfire response capacity.
“In practical terms, this funding enables CIFFC to lease aircraft, personnel, and maintenance support to ensure surge capacity is available when provinces and territories request assistance.”
Canada is lifting its commitment to prescribed fire with the establishment of a new national training program funded by a large injection of philanthropic money.
The new $CAD 8 million Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program (CPFTP), is co-developed by the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan Campus and the Weston Family Foundation.
Launched this week, it aims to address what it has identified as a gap in Canada’s ability to use and scale prescribed fire as a land management and ecological restoration tool and has taken inspiration from similar programs underway or in development in the US and Australia.
The program founders are working off the belief that prescribed burning is vastly underused in Canada and is widely constrained by the limited availability of training, mentorship, and opportunities to gain operational experience in the field.
May 5, 2018 – Prescribed fire practitioners working on a prescribed fire at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site to maintain and restore grassland habitat. Photo: Jane Park
The program will educate and train practitioners across Canada through regional hubs, tailored to Canada’s diverse and varied landscapes.
“Canada’s ability to expand the use of prescribed fire has been constrained by a lack of coordinated training and clear pathways to operational experience,” said Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais, Assistant Professor, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science at UBC Okanagan and Director of the Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program.
“This program provides the leadership and structure needed to establish national standards, deliver regionally grounded training, and build the capacity required to apply prescribed fire safely, responsibly, and at scale.”
Wildfire Today spoke with Dr Bourbannais about how the program will work.
There are established prescribed burning training programs in the US, and others in development in places like Australia. Is this Canadian program modelled on any of these?
We conducted a comprehensive review of prescribed fire training programs in other countries while developing the framework for the Canadian Prescribed Fire Training Program / Programme canadien de formation en brûlage dirigé. Programs in the United States and Australia offer valuable examples, and as our program evolves, we will continue to learn from them and explore opportunities for collaboration on training and curriculum.
At the same time, it’s essential that a Canadian program reflects the needs, priorities, and fire management realities of our own regions and partners. While there are important lessons to draw from international models, our focus is tailoring the program to Canada’s diverse landscapes, governance structures, and operational requirements.
How will you include cultural fire in the program?
A central part of our mission is to support Indigenous-led fire stewardship in Canada. We recognize that prescribed fire and cultural fire are not the same thing, and that many of Canada’s fire-adapted ecosystems have been shaped by Indigenous cultural fire practices. That history and knowledge will be reflected across the program, both in national-level content and regionally delivered courses which will be co-developed with Indigenous partners.
The program is being shaped with guidance from national Indigenous organizations, including the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, the Thunderbird Collective, and the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, who serve as key members of our advisory committee. Our goal is to ensure the program is accessible to Indigenous-led fire organizations and communities, and to support their leadership in revitalizing cultural fire. We will also work closely with regional Indigenous partners and Nations so that training reflects Indigenous knowledge, priorities, and perspectives, and to help create space for Indigenous-led cultural fire work to thrive.
Will the training be specific to Canada’s geographical regions or is it more general?
Our program will use a hybrid approach for delivering training. The theoretical parts of prescribed fire, like fire weather, fire behaviour, burn planning, communications, and fire ecology, will be offered online in English and French to reflect Canada’s two official languages. This will allow learners across the country access to core knowledge in a flexible way.
Because Canada is so big and ecologically diverse, the hands-on components will be regionally grounded. Field-based training, including operational prescribed fire, ignitions, holding, and fire effects monitoring, will be delivered through five regional hubs: West, North, Central, East, and Atlantic. Each hub will have a regional lead and a training and outreach facilitator who work closely with partners to make sure the training reflects local conditions and needs.
At the same time, we know that the absence of national standards and qualifications for prescribed fire roles has been a barrier to scaling the use of prescribed burning in Canada. Over the next few years, we’ll be working with partners to address those gaps, while still recognizing the importance of regionally-based training.
How will you include the best and latest prescribed burning science into the training?
The University of British Columbia Okanagan is a national leader in wildfire and prescribed fire science. Hosting the program within a university allows us to update course content rapidly as new research, tools, and lessons emerge. Our five regional hubs will play an important role in keeping training grounded in real-world conditions. For example, they will support ongoing fire-effects monitoring and fire ecology research with local partners, so we can integrate region-specific outcomes and ecosystem responses into the curriculum.
Who can do the training?
The Program will be offered through continuing education and professional development at UBC Okanagan, which makes it broadly accessible to a wide range of participants. While the training will support the needs of wildfire agencies, it is also designed for diverse groups, including Indigenous Nations and communities, fire practitioners, land managers, fire departments, NGOs, industry, and landowners.
Because people come to prescribed fire with very different backgrounds, the Program will offer training pathways for different roles in prescribed fire. These will range from introductory and awareness-level opportunities for those who are new to fire, all the way up to the competencies required to lead complex prescribed fire operations.
Who pays for an individual’s training?
Over the next two years, we’ll be working with partners across the country and the Weston Family Foundation to develop a long-term sustainability plan for the Program, which will include establishing a fee structure for the different courses. As the program grows, we expect that funding will come from several different sources, including organizations sponsoring their staff, individual registrations, and continued partnership support.
When does the training begin?
We already have training pilots scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026. Over the following two years, our goal is to run pilots in all five regions, and we expect to be offering the full suite of training by 2028.
For more information about the program and to sign up for a newsletter, visit the website rxfire.ca / rxfeu.ca
April 11, 2023 – Driptorch, a tool used by fire practitioners to apply fire, on a prescribed fire in the Kootenays (BC). Photo Mathieu Bourbonnais
