Gironde, Maine-et-Loire, Jura, Lozère… After an already exhausting month of July, thousands of firefighters are fighting new fires throughout the territory in this month of August marked by intense heat and a historic drought. .
To deal with these gigantic infernos, France has a dedicated air fleet that is among the largest in Europe. Since 2017, its 21 aircraft have been based in Nîmes-Garons (Gard). However, to limit intervention times, some move during the summer period.
• Canada Air
Recognizable by its yellow and red colors, the Canadair is the largest water bomber of the French Civil Security, which owns 12 CL-415 models.
With a wingspan of 28.60 meters and a length of 19.82 m, this amphibious aircraft can land on water but also recharge its two 3,000-liter tanks by skimming the surface of a body of water (lake, river, sea, etc.). etc., the depth of which must be at least 1.40m This filling flight lasts an average of 12 seconds at a speed of between 140 and 160 km/h, while the release occurs between 170 and 200 km /h at an altitude of 30 to 50 m.
•Dash
Civil Security also has 6 Dash-8 Q400MR and will soon have 8. Initially intended for passenger transport, this 32.80 m long and 28.40 m wingspan transforms into a Conair water bomber. It definitively replaced the Civil Security Tracker fleet in 2020.
The Dash-8 Q400 tank has a capacity of 10,000 litres. It can be filled with water or retardant at an air base with pelicandrom in about ten minutes. The release occurs at an altitude of between 300 and 600 meters. Its cruising speed is almost double (about 670 km/h) that of a Canadair (359 km/h). An essential asset when the speed of intervention is decisive in fighting fires.
• Beechcraft
Unlike the Canadair or the Dash, the Beechcraft King 200 is not a water bomber. Capable of reaching 500 km/h, this 13.34 m long and 16.61 m wingspan aircraft is used solely for liaison and reconnaissance missions. During forest fires, its function is to make it possible to prepare a situation report, determine the necessary aerial resources and ensure their coordination.
• Continue
Civil Security finally has a fleet of 35 Dragon helicopters: 33 EC145 and two H145 delivered last December by Airbus. These devices are primarily intended for personal assistance. However, they can carry out assistance or reconnaissance missions during forest fires, for example, guiding the Canadair and the Dash.
Civil Security also rents water bomber helicopters (HPE) each year to private actors. At the end of July, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, presented a decree that opened the right to requisition helicopter rental companies capable of participating in the fight against forest fires. Thus, seven heavy water bomber helicopters with a drop capacity of 4,000 liters have reinforced the Civil Security fleet since the end of July, joining the other two planes rented for the summer season.
A fleet to renew?
The forest fires of recent weeks have highlighted the aging of the French fleet. Notably Canadair when a 2019 Senate report recalled that two-thirds of devices were over 25 years old. This requires important and periodic maintenance operations: “It suffers gigantic shocks”, in particular when emptying the water. “So the maintenance of a Canadair is critical, we can’t play with it,” Frédéric Harrault, Civil Security representative, explained on BFMTV.
At the end of July, Emmanuel Macron declared himself in favor of reinforcing the aerial firefighting fleet while calling for a “European reflection” on the subject. The European Commission has already launched a common fleet in 2019 called RescEU. But the devices, although funded by the EU, actually remain the property of the member states. In the event of fires, the system makes it possible to come to the aid of the most affected countries. This is how the French Canadair went to Greece last year. This year, it is the Greek devices that have brought their help to the Gironde.
Source: BFM TV
