Firehawk helicopter joins county’s wildfire defense team

Call it the lucky thirteenth.

San Diego County is introducing a thirteenth firefighting chopper to its fleet: the Sikorsky S70 Firehawk. With a full thousand gallons of water on board and the ability to fly faster than most, it becomes an essential asset during wildfires. 

The Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to purchase the helicopter.

According to County Fire Director Jeff Collins, the Firehawk can fly at night and features a hoist for rescues. The purchase is part of a six-year effort to enhance the community’s security and the county’s response. 

“Back in January, after three fires in North County and the devastating fires in Los Angeles, I called for a comprehensive review of our wildfire preparedness and what more we could do to protect our communities,” said Jim Desmond, San Diego County supervisor for the fifth district.

“This new helicopter is the direct result of that work — and it will make a difference.”

Cal Fire, as well as firefighters in Los Angeles and Orange counties, use the same model helicopter. In 2024, existing units in San Diego County made 1,400 water drops on wildfires and rescued 159 people. After many successful missions from the current fleet, this new addition could have a substantial effect. 

A full crew can take off on firefighting and rescue mission starting next fall. In a partnership with Cal Fire, Desmond highlights that the county was able to minimize long-term costs to taxpayers. 

“We haven’t seen a major wildfire in our region in recent years, and that’s not by luck — it’s because we’ve taken fire safety seriously and acted decisively. This new helicopter builds on that commitment. When the next fire sparks, we’ll have more resources in the air to protect lives, homes, and communities across San Diego County,” Desmond said. 

 The county is paying $38 million for the Firehawk.  The helicopter price is $32 million, and it will be upgraded to CalFire operational standards at an additional cost of $6 million.

Additional investments made by the county over six years include committing $3 million annually to add firefighters across the region, installing helihydrants, expanding brush management to protect neighborhoods and adding two twin-engine helicopters to the aerial fleet.

Updated 5:10 p.m. Oct. 21, 2025