Aerial firefighting: 48 hours at the Los Angeles fires

It is Sunday, January 12th, 02:22 hours local time in Los Angeles. The Palisades and Eaton fires are still raging. All weekend all kinds of aircraft have been flying missions dropping water and fire retardants on the raging fires. 

S-70i N482DF at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

So this is a different blog post than most. I've been monitoring the aerial firefighting response this weekend via the ADS-B website whilst listening to SOCAL airspace traffic via LiveATC.net. Combining data from both I've managed to list some of the deployed aircraft, their callsigns and the airfields they operate from. As you can imagine, this is quite a big operation and I'm sure there are many more aircraft deployed than the ones I noted this weekend. If a callsign is between brackets than it is shown on ADS-B but I haven't been able to confirm it via LiveATC.

The photographs I've used to illustrate this blog post are all mine, taken in California between 2018 and 2022. The maps are courtesy of Cal Fire.

The Palisades fire

The Palisades fire, image courtesy of Cal Fire

Camarillo Airport

Camarillo Airport is the airfield most helicopters and light aircraft operate from. I've noted the following aircraft:

A.139 N302FD (FIRE2) to Van Nuys night operations

A.139 N303FD (FIRE3) to Van Nuys night operations

AT-602 N609TA tanking water at Encino Reservoir

B.407 N407GH Helicopter 407GH operating from Santa Monica by the 14th

B.407 N447GH

B.407 N484AS

B.407 N707AH Helicopter 7AH relocating to Santa Ynez 13th

B.412 N412VC

B.429 N491NC Helicopter 1NC night operations

EH-1H N491DF at Hemet Ryan Airport on July 21st, 2018

EH-1H N491DF/620 Cal Fire 914 flight 13th

EH-1H N497DF being worked on at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

EH-1H N497DF/914 Cal Fire 914 flight 13th arrival from Porterville Municipal Airport 11 January 

CH-47F 10-08079 (Guard 801) 11th Schoener 16 13th

CH-47 N238PJ tanking water at Encino Reservoir and Stone Canyon Reservoir

UH-60 N116 Helicopter 116

UH-60M 17-20931 (Guard 831) single mission, departed for Los Alamitos. Returned on the 12th.

UH-60M 17-20933 Guard 833 single mission, departed for Los Alamitos. Returned on the 12th.

UH-60M 20-21168 Guard 830 departed for Los Alamitos. Returned on the 12th.

S-70A N190LA/19 at Whiteman Airport on May 9th, 2022

S-70A N190LA possibly based elsewhere

S-70i N451DF/613 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica

S-70i N478DF/605 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica tanking water at Encino Reservoir 11th

S-70i N479DF/602 Cal Fire 602 relocating to Santa Ynez 13th tanking water at Encino Reservoir 11th

S-70i N482DF at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-70i N482DF/601 (Cal Fire 601) day and night operations

UH-60 N534VG Helicopter 534VG

UH-60 N60VC

UH-60 N603PG tanking water at Stone Canyon Reservoir

UH-60 N604PG tanking water at Stone Canyon Reservoir

UH-60 N605CK Helicopter 605CK

UH-60 N70VC

UH-60 N80BH Helicopter 80BH tanking water at Encino Reservoir

UH-60 N82BH Helicopter 82BH

UH-60 N83BH Helicopter 83BH tanking water at Encino Reservoir

S-70i N822LA/22 at Whiteman Airport on May 9th, 2022

S-70i N822LA possibly based elsewhere

UH-72A 11-72200 Guard 72200 to Santa Monica 13th 

K-Max N674TH Helicopter 674TH

S-61 N161CG tanking water at Encino Reservoir, from Van Nuys

S-64 N7095B/95B

OV-10A N414DF/140 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

OV-10A N414DF/140 Cal Fire 140 12th  from Palisades, from Hemet for fuel

Channel Islands ANGS

Channel Islands ANGS is the home base of the 146th Air Wing of the California Air National Guard. One of the missions of the 146th AW is fire fighting, for this they are equipped with the second  generation Modular Aerial Fire Fighting System (MAFFS II). If a Hercules is fitted with a MAFFS II unit it carries the number of that unit as a code in dayglow orange on the fuselage and tail of the aircraft. 

January 11th saw the arrival of several C-130H Hercules aircraft from other ANG units fitted with the MAFFS II fire fighting system plus support aircraft, augmenting the fleet at Channel Islands. 

C-130H 92-0548 coded 8 at Reno-Tahoe on May 5th, 2022

C-130H 92-0548 (MAFFS8) arrival from Reno-Tahoe on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-0553 (MAFFS9) arrival from Reno-Tahoe on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-1531 (MAFFS2) arrival from Cheyenne Regional Airport on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-1537 (TETON37) arrival from Cheyenne Regional Airport on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 92-1538 (MAFFS3)

C-130H 92-3021 (SUMIT21) arrival from Cheyenne Regional Airport and departed on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 93-7311 (ROLER11) arrival from Reno-Tahoe on January 11th, 2025

C-130H 94-7315 (MAFFS5)

C-130J-30 01-1461 MAFFS4

C-130J-30 06-1467 coded 4 at Channel Islands ANGB on May 8th, 2022

C-130J-30 06-1467 MAFFS6

Edwards AFB

Be.200 N801NA (NASA801) 13th pattern work over the Palisades fire area at 20,000 feet, afterwards to Eaton fire and RTB Edwards

General William J. Fox Field Airport

AC.690 N108SA

BAe-146 N471NA/41 Tanker 41

C-130 N462DF/122 Cal Fire 122 to Ramona Airport

DHC-8 N988AC/182 Tanker 182 to Santa Maria Public Airport

DHC-8 N989AC/181 Tanker 181

S-2T N424DF/83 Tanker 83

S-2T N426DF/88 taking off from McClellan at February 6th, 2018

S-2T N426DF/88 to San Bernardino and back to Fox 

S-2T N439DF/74 hangared at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N439DF/74 Tanker 83 flight

S-2T N442DF/94 at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N442DF/94

S-2T N444DF/75 hangared at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N444DF/75 Tanker 95 flight

S-2T N448DF/95 departing McClellan on May 6th, 2022

S-2T N448DF/95 Tanker 95

S-64 N600HX/0HK

Hemet Ryan Airport

OV-10A N414DF/140 being washed at McClellan on May 6th, 2022

OV-10A N414DF/140 Cal Fire 140 on 11th RTB Palisades to Hemet. On 12th from Hemet to Palisades to Camarillo for fuel

OV-10A N418DF/340 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

OV-10A N418DF/340 (Cal Fire 340) in holding pattern at San Bernardino and RTB

S-2T N431DF/78 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

S-2T N431DF/78 RTB just after take off

Ramona Airport

S-2T N428DF/91 testing an engine at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

S-2T N428DF/91

San Bernardino

Operating from San Bernardino were the large tankers. These only flew missions on the 11th.

Beech 200 N600ML (Lead 78)

BAe-146 N476NA/12 Tanker 12

CH-47 N950CH no missions

DC-9-87 N293EA/103 Tanker 103

DC-9-87 N294EA/104 Tanker 104

DC-9-87 N297EA/107 Tanker 107

DC-10 N522AX/912 Tanker 912

DC-10 N603AX/914 Tanker 914

S-2T N426DF/88 (Cal Fire 88) from and to Fox Field on January 11th

Santa Monica Municipal Airport

In use from January 13th

B.407 N407GH Helicopter 407GH operating from Santa Monica by the 14th

S-70i N451DF/613 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica from Camarillo

S-70i N478DF/605 Cal Fire 605 flight 13th to Santa Monica from Camarillo

Santa Ynez Airport

In use from January 13th

S-70i N479DF/602 Cal Fire 602 relocating from Camarillo 13th tanking water at Encino Reservoir 11th

S-70i N487DF/603 (Cal Fire 603)

Van Nuys Airport

Van Nuys also houses helicopters to cover the Palisades fire. Some just visit to top up their tanks, others are TDY. A sizable fleet of TV helicopters also operates from Van Nuys, however these were not logged at this time.

A.139 N302FD (FIRE2) from Camarillo

A.139 N303FD (FIRE3) from Camarillo

A.139 N304FD (FIRE4)

B.505 N307FD night operations

CH-47 N42CU/47 tanking water at Encino Reservoir and night operations

CH-47 N43CU/55 tanking water at Encino Reservoir

UH-60 N412FA tanking water at Encino Reservoir

S-61 N161CG tanking water at Encino Reservoir, to Camarillo

S-76 N76CG night operations, to Fullerton Municipal Airport

The Eaton fire near Sierra Madre

The Eaton fire, image courtesy of Cal Fire

Aircraft seen in action at the Eaton fire. Again, just helicopters on Sunday.

Brackett Field

Brackett Field is the main base for helicopters covering the Eaton fire.

B.407 N41HX from Brackett Field

CH-47 N227AJ 

CH-47 N404AJ

UH-1 N534HQ from Brackett Field

UH-1 N703NP from Brackett Field

S-70i N476DF/608 tanking water at Santa Fe Lake from Brackett Field

S-70i N478DF tanking water at Santa Fe Lake possibly based elsewhere, based at Camarillo 11th and 13th

S-70i N484DF/609 (Cal Fire 609) 11th Palisades, 13th Eaton

S-70i N485DF/606 (Cal Fire 606) 13th Eaton

SH-3H N612CK/702 at Fox Field on February 3rd, 2018

SH-3H N612CK/702 from Brackett Field

S-64 N722HT/2HT tanking water at Santa Fe Lake 

Edwards AFB

Be.200 N801NA (NASA801) 13th pattern work over the Palisades fire area at 20,000 feet, afterwards to Eaton fire

General William J. Fox Field Airport

AC.690 N3NT 

S-2T N426DF/88 from Fox Field on the 11th

S-64 N600HX tanking water at Santa Fe Lake 11th

S-64 N9125M at the Siller base near Yuba, California on May 5th, 2022

S-64 N9125M from Fox Field on the 12th

Hemet Ryan Airport

The Cal Fire firebase at Hemet supplied a Bronco and Tracker to fight the Eaton Fire on the 11th.

S-2T N431DF/78 at McClellan on February 6th, 2018

S-2T N431DF/78 from Hemet Ryan Airport

OV-10A N418DF/340 at Paso Robles on May 8th, 2022

OV-10 N418DF/340 from Hemet Ryan Airport

San Bernardino

BAe-146 N476NA/12 Tanker 12 on the 11th

DC-9-87 N293EA/103 Tanker 103 on the 11th

As I said, this is probably just part of what is deployed in the Los Angeles area to cover these wildfires. I will update this post with full aircraft types and operators where known.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - wrapping up the project

Wrapping up the project 

It is now Sunday afternoon, January 5th, 2025. It is two degrees C outside, raining and the snow that fell last night is slowly disappearing. A good time to reflect on the Frugal Film Project. Wait, I hear you thinking. Wrapping up the project? The last episode we saw was September 2024. Where are the final months of 2024? As it turned out, the September session of the Frugal Film Project was the last I would shoot in 2024 due to other commitments. 

For me the big plus of this project has been to just get out and shoot even when I wouldn't otherwise. I didn't always manage that but looking back I feel that I have shot some nice images and that was fun when out and about with my Canon. The camera I used was a very affordable Canon EOS 1000N but don't let the low price fool you, this is a fine camera and it does the job perfectly. The film I used was Agfaphoto APX 100/36. A fine film, just not always as full with contrast as, say, Fomapan. It worked well for the project and I think I've gotten some good results with it. I also got to know the Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 lens quite well along the way. What I found was that the extra reach (24-85mm instead of 28-80mm) was nice to have. However I feel that it was holding me back sometimes too. The 24-85 is a good lens, don't get me wrong, but I have other good lenses too and it was sometimes frustrating not being able to use them because they fell outside of the budget rules set by the project.

My favorites

As I said I've had a lot of fun shooting images for the project. These are my favorite photos of each month:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

The future

Moving forward I see myself using the EOS 1000N a lot in 2025 and beyond, just like the APX film. I don't think I will be using the 24-85 as much as I did this year. So what does this mean for the project in 2025? I've been thinking a lot about that lately. I could always switch to another camera/lens setup. However, that would still restrict me to one lens and as I stated earlier it is frustrating to shoot a certain image with a given lens knowing that you have a more fitting lens in your collection that would capture the image better. I have therefore decided to take a break from the project in 2025.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - September

The September edition of the Frugal Film Project saw me go abroad. I took my trusty Canon EOS 1000N plus the 24-85mm to the small town of Unterzeil near Leutkirch im Allgäu, Germany. Close to the town of Unterzeil lies Schloss Zeil, the subject of today's outing. 

Schloss Zeil is the home of the descendants of the Fürsten von Waldburg-Zeil and was built in 1599-1614 by Froben von Waldburg-Zeil. In recent history (1945) the Schloss shortly housed the Vichy-French government in exile after it was driven from France.

This last image was shot at the Mindelburg, 49 km to the northeast.

As usual, the film is Agfaphoto APX 100 which was developed at home with Adonal.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - August

My August shots for the Frugal Film Project were taken at the annual photography fair in Doesburg. More than 100 dealers and sellers offer all kinds of cameras, lenses and related gear. A true heaven for gearheads like me :-)

It is always great to browse through all that is on offer. This time I found nothing to add to my collection but I had a fun day out nonetheless.

As usual, all photos were shot with my Canon EOS 1000N fitted with a 24-85mm lens and loaded with a roll of Agfaphoto APX 100. I've developed the roll at home using Adonal developer and scanned the negatives with an Epson V850.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - July

For the July episode of the Frugal Film Project I went to my 'local' airport to catch some of the action there. I made a small change to my setup, the lens I would use today was another frugal lens, an EF 70-210mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens that cost me € 20. The camera remained the same, my Canon EOS 1000N. Reviewing the photos I found that most are quite the same so I opted to show you just two.

Choice number one is a former Royal flight Dakota, C-47A PH-PBA. The 'PB' in the registration points to HRH Prince Bernhard, an accomplished pilot. This Dakota was delivered to the US Army Air Force with serial number 42-100971. After World War Two it was transferred to the Netherlands for government use. It was later transferred to a museum, restored and is now in use with DDA Classic Airlines with the markings it had when flown by the prince.

Choice number two is an Army Air Corps (AAC) Wildcat AH.1 helicopter with serial number ZZ384. The Wildcat is the current troop transport helicopter of the AAC, replacing the similar Lynx helicopter. In this shot, the overall vignetting of the 70-210mm lens is quite visible.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - June

The June edition of the Frugal Film Project takes place in my back yard - sort of. For those new to the project, the aim is to show that you don't need fancy photo gear to get great photos so in order to participate you select a camera-lens combo under $ 75, some cheap, well, make that less expensive film and shoot a roll every month for a year. I've opted for a Canon EOS 1000N with a 24-85mm lens and Agfaphoto APX 100/36. I also develop the film at home using Adonal developer.

This month I went walkabout on an early misty Monday morning, just as the sun was rising. Enjoy!