Issue 171 | June 2026

AMR 171 Cover

As the northern hemisphere heats up for another hot summer, I’m pleased to bring you the aerial firefighting edition of AirMed&Rescue. We have features on how climate change is accelerating firefighting technology; the improvements in Australian firefighting capacity; and getting ahead of wildfires before they become unmanageable.

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In this issue

Plane mid air

Australia’s firefighting surge capacity

A few years after the worst fires in modern Australian history, new capacity and technology have been put in place. Rob Coppinger reports

Hospital bed in helicopter

Industry voice: Advancing new frontiers in patient-centered care

The International Community for Aeromedical Research and Universal Standards (ICARUS) is seeking the buy-in of air medical professionals around the world to share data and collaborate to achieve better outcomes

Yellow fixed wing firefighting plane dropping fire retardant

Provider profile: Titan Aerial Firefighting

Oliver Cuenca speaks to Carlos A Craveiro, Director of Flight Operations at Titan Aerial Firefighting, about the expansion of its work fighting forest fires in Spain and beyond

Coulson plane

Getting ahead of wildfires: becoming proactive as opposed to reactive

Proactive approaches for fire management are making a difference to wildfire response and success. Barry D Smith speaks to the people who are engaging in fighting wildfires using a prognostic...

Welcome to Aerial Firefighting board

Event review: Aerial Fire Fighting Global 2026

Rome – Enhancing outcomes: the latest edition of Aerial Fire Fighting Global showcased over 60 exhibitors, with 30 sessions, and brought together nearly 50 countries. Jon Adams attended the event...

Yellow helicopter carrying water

Gallery: Wildfire fighting on Gran Canaria island

Peter Ten Berg visited the Spanish Forest Fire Operations Unit on Gran Canaria to find out about its mission to combat wildfires across the Canary Islands

Dash8-400MTE

Special report: Dashing into the fray

Jon Adams looks at what makes the Dash 8-400 the ideal candidate for Conair’s successful and ongoing program of conversion and operation of the platform as an airtanker

Plane in the sky

Climate change and aerial firefighting technology

As climate change lengthens wildfire seasons across hemispheres and increases outbreak frequency and fire size, Jennifer Ferrero asks what new technologies are being developed to address this growing threat

Jennifer Ferrero