State buys new $2.8M helicopter to fight forest fires

Courtesy / State of Maine The Maine Forest Service’s aviation branch recently received delivery of a $2.8 million helicopter.

Write a Comment

By Staff

The Maine Forest Service’s aviation branch, headquartered in Old Town, now has a new, $2.8 million helicopter to fight forest fires and assist in search and rescue missions.

The Bell 407 helicopter was purchased in June to replace one that was more than 50 years old. The helo, just recently delivered, is equipped and ready to go into action this month.

The Maine Forest Service is part of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Modernizing the MFS air fleet is essential to supporting the aviation branch’s capability, the department’s commissioner, Amanda Beal, said during the helicopter’s unveiling on Monday.

“The Bell 407 provides safety and dependability for our forest rangers and our partners at the State Police, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and others who rely on this important resource,” Beal said.

Gov. Janet Mills added, “Maine is one of the most heavily forested states in the nation, which means that we need to be ready on a dime to protect that resource and to assist in search and rescue efforts to save lives."

The helicopter will be used for fire detection and firefighting, dropping water and moving firefighters and equipment to rural and remote locations quickly. Other duties will include search and rescue missions, and aiding in the rescue of injured people in remote areas where emergency medical services are difficult to access.

The aircraft also will be used to support members of other agencies, such as Maine State Police, game wardens, Marine Patrol officers and Baxter State Park rangers.

The Forest Protection Aviation Branch flies more than 400 missions per year.

In 2021, the Maine Forest Service dropped more than 91,000 gallons of water on fires and carried 269 firefighters. The service's air fleet also conducted 104 aerial inspections of logging sites and 22 interagency searches or manhunts.

The Aviation Branch fleet includes five UH-1H (Huey) utility helicopters, two Bell 407 helicopters and three fixed-wing airplanes. The fleet is maintained by four mechanics and flown by five pilots.