In the summer of 2021, five Dauntless Air “Fire Boss” planes skimmed a Washington lake, one after another, filling their twin pontoons to fight a wildfire. CEO Brett L’Esperance compared the single-engine aircraft to the animated “Dusty Crophopper” from Planes 2, and video of the runs makes clear how these small, agile planes scoop and drop water on flames.
Although the federal government directs most major wildfire responses, nearly all of the roughly 500 firefighting aircraft used are privately owned and contracted. Last year those contracted planes burned about $50 million worth of jet fuel. With jet fuel prices rising since the war in Iran began in late February, that fuel tab could nearly double to roughly $100 million if this season is as active as last year. Taxpayers shoulder most of that expense because many aviation contracts let companies pass higher fuel costs through to the government.
Retired wildfire pilot Willis Curdy, who flew aerial firefighting missions for nearly 40 years, said dropping water or retardant pushes aircraft and crews far beyond routine flight. “This is not like getting in a 737 and going to 33,000 feet,” he said, pointing out that the aggressive, low-altitude maneuvers used in firefighting require substantially more power and fuel than high-altitude cruising.
The U.S. Forest Service, which manages most federal wildfire operations, declined a full interview but told NPR it budgeted $45 million for aviation fuel this year—$7 million less than last year. Curdy said he expects that figure may be revised as the season progresses. While last year’s fuel spending was slightly above the six-year average, this winter’s very dry to record-dry conditions across several Western states have increased the likelihood of a particularly active and costly fire season.
L’Esperance said his larger concern is not only rising prices but possible supply shortages. Much of the jet fuel used in the West is refined in California, and the California Energy Commission reported refinery jet-fuel stocks at their lowest level in more than two years. The American Petroleum Institute has warned that the U.S. West Coast depends more on imported oil than other regions, and those imports have been disrupted by the war in Iran. “When things get really, really busy and scary in that late June, July, August and September time frame, if we don’t have the fuel to respond, we just can’t respond,” L’Esperance said.
The Forest Service has not predicted whether a shortage will materialize but told NPR it has the flexibility to spend more if necessary. Federal forecasters are already predicting an active season across much of the West, underscoring the risk that rising fuel costs and possible supply constraints could make aerial firefighting more expensive and complicated when demand is highest.