The first five of the dozen Cal Fire "Hawk" helicopters have been deployed in California.
The new helicopters can carry more crew, water and are as much as 25 miles per hour faster than the previously used Huey.
"The 'Fire Hawk' has the ability to basically split their load so they can make multiple drops with the same tank of water, they don’t need all 1,000 gallons of water in one drop," Cal Fire Division Chief Ben Nichols told KCBS Radio.
Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit received its first helicopter this week, which will be stationed at the Boggs Mountain Helitack Base.
The "Fire Hawks" will be used to fight fires, as well as rescue injured and trapped firefighters.
"The 'Fire Hawks' frame a fixed hoist to the aircraft that has a 250-foot long line to be able to affect those rescues in remote areas," Nichols said.
Although the helicopters are typically used for military stealth missions at night, Nichols said the "Fire Hawks" will only be used during the day until further training and testing is done.
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