PG&E Helicopters Return for Wildfire Season, Strengthening Local Response Efforts

PG&E has begun its fourth year partnering with local fire agencies to provide firefighting helicopters in Butte, Marin and Merced Counties. The program, which launched in Marin County in 2023 and later expanded to Butte and Merced counties, helps local fire agencies respond quickly to wildfires during California’s peak fire season. 

Since the program’s launch, PG&E-supported helicopters have:

• Logged more than 445 flight hours

• Conducted more than 2,600 water drops

• Dropped more than 2 million gallons of water

• Supported 64 initial attacks across participating counties

The program places four dedicated Blackhawk helicopters in Butte, Marin and Merced counties through November 15. Three helicopters are assigned to the participating counties, while a fourth is available as a standby aircraft if needed. During that time, local fire agencies direct the aircraft in support of wildfire suppression operations, providing communities with dedicated aerial firefighting resources that can help strengthen initial attack and response efforts. While based locally, the helicopters can also be deployed to support wildfire response efforts beyond their home counties through California’s Master Mutual Aid system when needed.

By placing dedicated aerial firefighting resources directly under local fire agency control, the program helps strengthen wildfire response capabilities while making additional resources available when and where they’re needed most.

“Wildfire preparedness takes strong partnerships. We are proud to continue working alongside PG&E for a fourth year, ensuring additional aerial resources are available to support firefighters and help keep the communities of Marin County and the broader region safe,” said Jason Weber of Marin County Fire, one of the participating fire agencies in the program.

Beyond Marin, Butte and Merced counties, PG&E also provides $1 million in direct financial support to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District for its firefighting aircraft, further expanding the company’s partnerships with local fire agencies across California.

The helicopter program is one of PG&E’s many layers of protection against catastrophic wildfire. Other efforts include undergrounding, Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), AI-enabled wildfire cameras and more. To learn about PG&E’s wildfire safety efforts, visit pge.com/wildfiresafetyprogress.