The aircraft. The missions. The people behind them. 

June 29, 2026 – CAL FIRE officials announce the upcoming first episode of an Airborne Firefighters docuseries starting on Tuesday, June 30, with new episodes every Tuesday on YouTube.

Not every pilot completes the journey to becoming an aerial firefighter.

With limited training slots and a demanding path to qualification, tanker pilot trainees face the pressure before they ever reach the fireline.

This summer, Airborne Firefighters is taking viewers behind the scenes of CAL FIRE aviation operations and the people who make them possible.

Meet the men and women who carry out CAL FIRE’s aerial firefighting mission — and jump in the cockpit as they deliver water and retardant on hotspots across California.

The first episode of this docuseries drops on Tuesday, June 30, with new episodes every Tuesday on YouTube.

Enjoy this preview of episode one: https://youtu.be/l4DQWNW0bbc?is=Ra6irVZoz02eIH0K.

Source & photo: CAL FIRE