CAL FIRE seeks contract increases for pilots and mechanics as fleet and year‑round operations expand

Jake Scholland, Deputy Director of Fire Protection at CAL FIRE, told the budget subcommittee that California’s aviation fleet has modernized and expanded and now requires more intensive, continuous maintenance and flight‑crew support. He said CAL FIRE’s aviation inventory includes 16 Hawk helicopters and seven C‑130 air tankers, for a total of 72 aircraft that require expanded mechanic and pilot capacity.

Scholland said maintenance staffing has grown with the fleet and that industry labor pressure has pushed contractor pay increases of about 51% for pilots and 20% for mechanics in recent negotiations. The contract under consideration would increase pilot and mechanic coverage to support day‑and‑night operations, dual shifts and reserve capacity to cover absences and attrition. He noted CAL FIRE currently relies on contracted maintenance for the fixed‑wing fleet and does not employ mechanics for that fleet in‑house.

The chair and committee members asked whether owning aircraft and building an in‑house maintenance and pilot corps would be more cost‑effective. Scholland said a full analysis would be required and noted structural advantages to contracting — for example, pay‑for‑days‑worked schedules and staffing flexibility during lower activity periods — while also saying longer contract terms might reduce costs.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the proposal addresses near‑term safety concerns and merited consideration for funding; Department of Finance noted the contract amount in the BCP is final and no further May revision is expected. The subcommittee held the issue open for further budget deliberations and did not vote.