The US Forest Service uses aircraft for a wide variety of missions,
including operational personnel transport, research, forest rehabilitation,
law enforcement support, aerial photography, infrared detection,
and fire prevention and suppression. The Forest Service owns and
operates 44 aircraft and contracts over 800 aircraft annually ranging
from both fixed wing and helicopter.
The primary mission of the Forest Service Aviation is to support
the ground firefighter through a variety of means including safe
delivery of smokejumpers, rappellers, air attack, firefighter and
cargo transport, surveillance, aerial reconnaissance and fire intelligence
gathering, and aerial delivery of fire retardant and water.
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