NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The two Type-1 helicopters contracted by Cal Fire for exclusive use towards aerial firefighting operations left the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) for the season on Tuesday.

Helitanker 8PJ, a CH-47 Chinook operated by PJ Helicopters, was based at the Napa County Airport (KAPC) starting back on June 3.

Helitanker 05PJ, a UH-60A+ Blackhawk also operated by PJ Helicopters, was based at the Sonoma County Airport (KSTS) starting on June 16.

The two exclusive use helicopters combined to fly 80 missions on wildfires where they dropped a combined total of 1,140,450 gallons of water on fires in 2025.

“The helicopters we contract exclusively for the use of aerial firefighting operations are a strategic investment we make in wildfire preparedness and rapid response, providing an added layer of protection for the communities we serve,” said Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Matt Ryan. “They are a symbol of the strength and readiness that Cal Fire brings to the region and complement our overall world-renowned aviation program that is the largest civil aerial firefighting fleet in the world.”

Helitanker 8PJ delivered 451,100 gallons of water on its 28 wildfire missions in 2025, which included 29.1 hours of night flying missions. Its night flight capabilities were relied on heavily during the Pickett Fire outside of Calistoga, as Helitanker 8PJ flew 12.6 hours at night on the 6,819-acre fire between Aug. 21 to 24.

Helitanker 05PJ flew 52 wildfire missions this year and dropped 689,350 gallons of water on fires. Its utility was on display here in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and beyond across California. 

During the Pickett Fire, Helitanker 05PJ conducted 19 flights. It was also deployed down to the Gifford Fire in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties between Aug. 8-15 where it conducted 21 aerial firefighting missions. 

The Gifford Fire is the largest wildfire in the state this year at 131,614 acres.

Even with the departure of the two exclusive use helicopters, Cal Fire LNU still has four aerial assets available for firefighting and rescue operations. 

Copter 612, based at the Boggs Mountain Helitack Base in Lake County, is a Sikorsky S70i with a fixed tank that can hold up to 1,000 gallons of water. Its primary mission is rapid initial attack
on wildfires and complex rescue operations.

At the Sonoma Air Attack Base in Santa Rosa are two S-2T Airtankers (AT85 and AT86) and one OV-10 Air Tactical Aircraft (AA140).

So far this year from Jan. 1 through Oct. 28, the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit has seen 352 wildfires that have burned 8,331 acres.