Politics & Government
Orange County Lets Multi-County Firefighting Helicopter Contract Expire
That partnership expired on Jan. 1, 2026, in what Edison officials and OCFA's Fire Chief Brian Fennessy say was not a mutual decision.
January 2, 2026
The contract between Orange County Fire Authority, Southern California Edison and several other local fire departments that provided valuable firefighting helicopters to the area has expired, despite the efforts of the fire chief.
Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Quick Reaction Force, a partnership between OCFA, SCE and the Los Angeles and Ventura County fire departments, was founded in 2022. It provided three CH-47 Chinook Helitankers and a Sikorsky 76 helicopter to their collective fleet, allowing for vast resources to battle wildfires that break out across Southern California.
That partnership expired on Jan. 1, 2026, in what Edison officials and OCFA's Fire Chief Brian Fennessy say was not a mutual decision.
Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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