Crew and Fire History

ANGELES HELITACK
50 YEARS OF TRADITION 1957-2007

The Angeles Helitack Averageabout 15 to 20 fires. Most of our fire are large fire support. Here is a list of our records from past years.

FIRE HISTORY

2009 Angeles Helitack Incident Record

Total fires: 21
Days under contract: 150
Hours Flown: 220

2008 Angeles Helitack Incident Record

Total fires: 18
Days under contract: 150
Hours Flown: 282

2007 Angeles Helitack Incident Record

Total fires: 13
Days under contract: 140
Hours Flown: 275

2006 Angeles Helitack Incident Record
Total fires: 20
Days under contract: 182
Hours Flown: 323

2005 Angeles Helitack Incident Record
Total fires: 17
Days under contract: 160
Hours Flown: 300

2004 Angeles Helitack Incident Record

Total fires: 10
Days under contract: 135
Hours Flown: 166

BIRTH OF A CREW

The Angeles National Forest has always been a forest for first, the first Timberland reserve in California 1892, The first ranger station in California 1900, First hotshot crew in the U.S. 1949, and last but not least the first Helitack crew in the U.S. 1957-2007 highlighted the 50 year of the Helitack program on the Angeles and this will reflect the beginning of the program.In 1947, a lone radio operator operating an emergency rely station on the Bryant fire , here on the Angeles , found himself on a ridge top with the Bryant fire below making a run towards him. After a frantic call for help, a Bell 47b helicopter landed, picked him up and in 5 minutes had him back to camp. The same helicopter was delivering several hundred firefighters.1000 pounds of cargo, flying reconnaissance flights, and scouting and evacuating sick and injured firefighters, this was the first use of a helicopter for extended use on a fire in the U.S. The Forest Service was so pleased with the results the helicopter was used on four other large wildland fires and triggered an extensive study on the use of helicopters on wildland incidents.

In 1954, a host of Federal, state, county, military, and private organizations initiated a program known as “operation Fire Stop”. These agencies began to develop new tools, methods, and techniques to meet California’s wildland fire problem. This included many things such as new flood control, road building and experiments with large and small helicopters. These experiments led to the selection of a four man crew that was specifically assigned to an exclusive use contracted ship to Chilao Camp on the Angeles National Forest. The crew stationed at Chilao Camp was assigned to a bell 47D helicopter. The crew was originally designated as a Helishot crew, assigned in part with the Chilao hotshots. The original crew consisted of 4 persons: a Helishot foreman and 3 crewmembers. Their duties mainly dealt with suppression duties not logistical duties. 1957 saw the development of the Helicopter program into a separate organized outfit. A Bell 47G was assigned to a 5 man crew. The crew was designated as Helitack crew. (“Helitack “is derived from “Heli”copter and at “tack” “heli” + “tack”= Helitack) it was the first organized crew with the necessary equipment and accessories. Their duties included Suppression and logistical work. These duties included laying hose by helicopter, slinging cargo, dropping cargo. Dropping water and jumping “Helijumping” from helicopters to deliver firefighters to fires and building helispots.

1957 saw the development of many of the same Helitack techniques use today (and some that are not). Herb Shields of the Arcadia equipment Development center (now the San Dimas equipment center) develop and tested many Helitack components: The Hose tray, Helitack, helipumper, and cargo transport hardwear. The equipment designed by Shields is the foundation of equipment used today.

Significant fires that resulted in development of the helicopter program included several fires, the Morris fire and the Woodwardia fire; both on the Angeles. The Morris fire saw two helicopters [one from the Angeles and one from LA County] with their respective crews laid over 10,000. Feet of hose. This was the longest and fastest laying of hose from the air on a wildland fire. The Woodwardia fire, at the time, represented one of the largest helicopter operations on a wildland fire. Over 3,000 firefighters, 56,000 gals. Of water/borate, 45 tons of cargo were moved and or dropped.

The mid to late sixties brought new changes and additions to the air world. Helicopters now were used nation wide. Many helicopters small, medium, and large were being developed and used in all parts of the country. 1968 saw the development, testing and use of a 350 gallon fixed tank on a Bell 204 B medium Helicopter. This tank developed by the USFS and LA County was one of the best tanks ever developed for dropping water and retardants.

In 1971, the decision was made to move 531 again this time to Chantry Flats, still on the Arroyo Seco R.D.. The name for the crew was Chantry Flats Air Attack there was some friendly disputes between the Chantry Helishots and Oak Grove hotshots, because Oak grove had to build the facility for the crew. During this time the Mt. Baldy Ranger District also had their own Helicopter, Helicopter 532; Tanbark Air Attack. The crew was stationed at Tanbark Flats. They also had a 7 man Helitack crew and a 10 man Helishot crew. Their Helishot crew was called tanbark Helishots, crew 7 B or 7 Bravo. The Valyermo ranger District also had a small part in the aviation program, the Valyermo Helishots; crew 7 C, affectionately known as 7 “chicken”. The Helishot crew was a back up for the other Helishot crews, when one was on their day off 7 C would fill in for them on their respective helicopters. It has been told that Valyermo would spend many lonely days waiting on pinyon ridge for a helicopter to pick them up. The eighties saw the coming and going of Helitack crew. The Tanbark crew was disbanded in the early eighties [H-532 AND C-7B], the same for C-7C. As for chantry, they lost the Helishot crew and for almost 10 years functioned as a 7 man Helitack module. In 1994 Chantry saw the addition of crew 7-A again until 1996 when funding for the crew disappeared.

For the new century, 2000 brought some significant changes to the Helicopter program. In 2000 the decision was made to move the helicopter back to Chilao, as to provide a centralized location with quick routes to all areas on the forest. The crew was enlarged to a 10 man crew and for the first time in ANGELES History became certified as a rappel crew. 2001 brought more changed to the helicopter with name and logo change to Angeles Helitack and Helishots and with the addition of 7 more personnel bringing the total number to 17 persons. 2002 Saw the name Helishots dropped from the crew name, making it Angeles Helitack, also total persons totaled 14. In Octuber, 2007 Angele Helitack celebrated 50 years of service.

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