As the global climate shifts, wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense. The economic and environmental consequences can be devastating, and the need for effective firefighting aircraft has never been greater. Purpose-built firefighting aircraft and their pilots stand at the forefront of this battle, providing essential service in saving property, forestry, and lives, but traditional insurance models have made insuring these aircraft prohibitively expensive. It is essential that insurers, brokers, and insurance buyers work together to improve the insurance conditions for these operations as the need to fight wildfires is set to rise further.
The growing need for firefighting aircraft
On average, extreme global wildfires have more than doubled in frequency and intensity globally over the past 20 years, according to Scientific research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution (opens a new window). What’s more, a 2022 report by the United Nations and GRID-Arendal (opens a new window) found that climate and land-use change will continue to make wildfires more frequent and intense, increasing the number of extreme fires by up to 14% by 2030, and 50% by 2100. While the latter may feel a long way off, some regions are already struggling to deal with the impact. The EU, for example, reacted to the 2023 Greece wildfires by spending up to €720 million on 12 new firefighting aircraft (opens a new window). As wildfires escalate in frequency and intensity, specially built firefighting aircraft will become even more vital in saving land and life.
Leading the fight against wildfires
Originally designed for agricultural purposes, firefighting planes’ robust design has made them a versatile and effective tool to combat wildfires. But it is a challenging task for the pilot and the aircraft due to a combination of high speed, low-level flights, hazards like birds or trees, and difficult terrains.
The aircraft is required to fly dangerously low to ensure accurate water or retardant drops on the fire, often in mountainous or rugged terrains. Pilots also must deal with what is known as ‘fire wind’ —a phenomenon where the heat of the wildfire creates its own weather system, resulting in erratic and strong wind patterns that can quickly change direction and are difficult to predict. Factors such as wind speed and direction, visibility, and different water surface conditions all present risks. Sudden gusts of wind can put the aircraft off course, potentially destabilising the plane or helicopter. In a wildfire situation, poor visibility due to smoke or other adverse weather conditions can add an extra element of risk.
The risk to both pilots and machinery is significant, with 14 fatal crashes of firefighting aircraft reported in the US alone since 2020.
Mitigating risk through comprehensive training
Comprehensive, highly structured, and personalised training programmes are key to reduce operational risk and consequently, insurance premium. Specialised flight academies are committed to providing rigorous training for pilots in initial courses and recurring programmes. This includes ground school and flight simulator training, allowing pilots to practice emergency procedures in a safe, controlled environment.
Flight simulators are particularly important, as they allow pilots to recognise the limits of the aircraft and understand how to react safely in dangerous situations. By simulating real-world scenarios, pilots can learn from past mistakes and improve their skills without putting themselves or their aircraft at unnecessary risk. This structured approach to training ensures that pilots are better prepared for the challenges they may face in actual firefighting operations.
Training at a flight academy can be tailored to a pilot's individual needs and experience levels. For example, once pilots have completed their foundational training, they can progress to more advanced aircraft. Dual-seat training programme ensures that pilots receive focused, model-specific training, progressing at their own pace based on their abilities and skills.
Before a pilot is cleared to operate an aircraft solo, they should complete a set number of hours under supervision, mitigating risk by ensuring adequate experience in both simulated and real-world conditions.
Reducing insurance cost
The traditional insurance approach has penalised firefighting aviation operators with steep premium due to the high risk the deployment poses to the aircraft and the pilot. From an insurance perspective, a high level of training provides significant risk mitigation and a key factor in lowering insurance premium. Simulated emergency procedures, real-time scenario training, and data-driven flight analysis all provide underwriters with the assurance that pilots are well-prepared for the hazards they may face. These initiatives address underwriters' concerns, from pilot performance to aircraft safety culture.
Evidence of strong risk mitigation practices allows insurers to provide fairer, more reasonable coverage, ensuring that these aircraft can continue combating wildfires. Insurers should also have an interest in reducing the insurance costs for such operations to promote and support firefighting activity. These aircraft provide invaluable service to many stakeholders with clear environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benefits: they protect communities, save ecosystems, protect the global climate, and prevent greater (insured) economic losses. By offering fairer collaborative premium to operators, insurers can recognise the value of the task these firefighting operations perform.
For more information, please visit our Aviation (opens a new window) page or contact your Lockton representative.