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Siberian Journal of Forest Science

2017 year, number 5

AERIAL WILDFIRE FIGHTING: HISTORY, CURRENT SITUATION, PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES

A. V. Bryukhanov1, N. A. Korshunov2
1V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Akademgorodok, 50/28, Krasnoyarsk, 660036 Russian Federation
2All-Russian Institute on Advanced Training Executives and Specialists of Forestry, Institutskaya str., 17, Pushkino, Moscow Oblast, 141200 Russian Federation
Keywords: лесопожарная авиация, самолет-авиатанкер, вертолет-авиатанкер, водосливное устройство, лесные пожары, wildfire fighting aviation, aircraft-tanker, helicopter-tanker, drain device, wildfires

Abstract

Nowadays aviation is among the most effective ways of early detection and suppression of wildfires. At the moment for the aerial wildfire fighting a few dozen models of aircraft are used worldwide, which are regularly modernized and renewed. In this article, authors give information about the history of fighting wildfires from the air, as well as analyze the current state of the issue with the use of aircraft and helicopter airtankers for firefighting, both at international level and in the territory of the Russian Federation. It is revealed that the most popular in the world still are the ground-based firefighting aircraft (regardless of the class of the carrying capacity). Amphibious firefighting aircraft now exist only in light (carrying capacity up to 5 tons) and in medium type (capacity up to 15 tons). Among the helicopter aviation, heavy firefighting helicopters are mostly widely spread, as well as medium multipurpose helicopters, which are, apart from suppression, involved into delivery of people and goods to forest fire sites. The article is devoted to the main directions, according to which the development of aircraft tanker equipment abroad and in Russia occurs. The attention is directed to the most promising developments, and specific recommendations on how to increase the effectiveness of the fire aviation usage in Russia are given. Based on the studies carried out, a conclusion is drawn that for different countries there can be promising different types of firefighting aircraft, considering their landing field infrastructure, characteristics of forests and hydro systems, as well as the total area of the forest fund.