By Jake Hutchison
Chico Enterprise-Record
CHICO, Calif. — PJ Helicopters’ UH-60 Blackhawk was the shining centerpiece at the Chico Airport on Thursday and Cal Fire-Butte County and PG&E joined together to formally announce that the helicopter would once again be aiding in firefighting efforts this summer.
Earlier this year, the Butte County Board of Supervisors approved the re-up of a contract between the two entities that would secure the helicopter, which is contracted by PG&E for use by Cal Fire-Butte County. Fire Chief Garrett Sjolund said the helicopter provided substantial support during wildfires in 2024.
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“It flew over 65 flight hours here, mostly in Butte County, delivered over 352,000 gallons of water on 11 incidents in Butte County including the first aircraft to fly on the Thompson Fire in Oroville, which was about this time last year, as well as 23 days assigned to the Park Fire in Butte and Tehama counties,” Sjolund said.
Sjolund said the Blackhawk will take flight again this summer during what is expected to be a high-risk season.
“This summer we’re not seeing anything different than we have in the past seasons,” Sjolund said. “A very dry and hot summer is anticipated with heavy fuel crops. We anticipate seeing some fires here in Butte County and this aircraft will play a very important role.”
PG&E contracts with various companies around California for helicopter services and provides them to jurisdictions that face a heavier fire threat during the summer months.
Joe Wilson, PG&E vice president of the North Valley and Sierra Region, said the helicopter is meant to both aid firefighters by dropping water as well as potentially shorten response times by having another air attack vehicle on the roster.
“We have these utility aircraft that we use in the off season for heavy lift operations, but during the fire season, we’re deploying them into areas where they make the most difference,” Wilson said. “Butte County is one of those areas.”
As for the financial side of the agreement, PG&E covers costs related to keeping the helicopter on standby and provides the first two hours of flight free of charge to the county, Sjolund said. Beyond that, Butte County pays by the hour.
“The county has a revenue source to be able to afford those costs at $9,500 a flight hour if the need arises,” Sjolund said.
The contract lasts from June 15 until November 15.
From military to fires
Before being repurposed, this specific Blackhawk was a military vehicle that was decommissioned and then rebuilt by Red Bluff company PJ Helicopters.
Nik Klenovits, a utility pilot with PJ Helicopters, said the aircraft was brought to what he called “showroom standard.”
“Any components that need to be replaced, repaired, overhauled or repainted, all of that is accomplished in-house and then it’s essentially brought back to its full capabilities and outfitted for firefighting,” Klenovits said.
Turning the Blackhawk into a firefighting helicopter means installing a large 1,100 gallon belly tank beneath the vehicle that is attached to an accordion hose and pump for filling up at water sources near fires and then using that water to douse flames.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and Cal Fire-Butte County hold a press conference to exhibit a Blackhawk helicopter on Thursday, June 26, 2025 on the tarmac at the Chico Air Museum in Chico, California. The Blackhawk is being used during the summer months to fight wildfires. ( Dan Reidel /Enterprise-Record)
“The pump is actually very, very high flow, so that minimizes the time retrieving that water and gets us right back to work,” Klenovits said.
This particular build is only able to fly during the daytime, Klenovits noted.
“Blackhawks did serve in the military day and night and we have the equipment to convert it to night, but that takes time, and that’s not part of this contractual agreement,” Klenovits said.
Sjolund said Cal Fire-Butte County’s air fleet will remain at the same level in 2025 as it was in 2024.
“We have our air tanker and air attack here at the Chico Air Base, along with a state-contracted Type 1 helicopter and the Vina Helitack ship that’s a Cal Fire aircraft that’s just north of Chico and supports us so we are identical to where we were last summer,” Sjolund said.
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