Event review: Aerial Firefighting North America 2024

Beginning with an extensive tour of CAL FIRE’s facilities and a static aircraft display at McClellan Airfield near Sacramento, California, the Aerial Firefighting North America event offered attendees some fantastic opportunities for education, business development and debate about how the industry can adopt the latest technology and move forward with renewed purpose.

The conference sessions, led by moderator Chief Kim Zagaris, Wildfire Policy and Technology Advisor for the Western Fire Chiefs Association, were packed with speakers showing their experience and sharing their valuable insights with audience members. The themes of the first day were diverse, ranging from the importance of the aerial firefighting community engaging with government officials, to how the industry needs to take on the recommendations of the Wildland Fire Commission Report.

How aerial firefighting professionals could – and perhaps should – make the best use of uncrewed assets was also on the table for discussion, with speakers from NASA, CAL FIRE and the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service all sharing their thoughts on the matter.

Following a successful evening networking event, the conference continued the next morning with the themes of nighttime aerial operations and retardant use, training using simulators, safety, contract standards and requirements, and agency interoperability.

The Exhibition Area was busy, with plenty of footfall, ensuring that exhibitors were always engaging with new and existing customers.

AirMed&Rescue would like to thank Tangent Link for running such a successful event, and procuring a great line-up of speakers who educated the audience, and were keen to push the industry towards a bright future.