The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is expecting to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters for the 2021 wildfire season. These helicopters are the largest that are used for fighting wildfires and can carry between 700 and 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant.
In 2016 the FS hired 34 Type 1 helicopters but starting in 2017 reduced the number to 28. The fleet remained at that level until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 when they added an additional 22 ships for a total of 50. The agency felt the “surge” helicopters were necessary to mitigate a possible decrease in the effectiveness or numbers of their ground forces — engine and hand crews. In addition, the federal land management agencies said last year they were going to limit the number of less-than-full-suppression fires and attack new ignitions aggressively.
The administrative bases of the helicopters will be at 48 locations. The FS will still have the 28 exclusive use Type 1 ships; the additional 20 will serve a mandatory availability period of 120 days, with a possible option for another 30 if the FS determines a need.
Like in 2020, this solicitation has the unusual provision of limiting the 20 surge contracts to the participants of the existing Forest Service Type 1 Basic Ordering Agreement.
Interested vendors must get their offers to the FS by March 3, 2021.
More information about the solicitation.
Skycrane “Isabelle” N178AC, a Sikorsky S-64F from Erickson Incorporated fills her 2,500 gallon tank at the Rancho Manana Golf Club while fighting the nearby Central Fire burning in the Tonto National Forest near New River, Arizona, June 21, 2020. Photo by John Hall.Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Brian.
