Amid the flames

The summer of 2026 has pushed emergency response teams to their absolute limits. Fortunately, during this extreme scenario, the Super Puma fleet has proved to be equal to a task as critical as it is gruelling.

With over 640,000 hectares burned across Europe this summer, including more than 295,000 in Spain and 115,000 in France*, the ferocity of this season's wildfires gave aerial crews no respite. Several European operators deployed their Super Pumas on firefighting missions. True to its reputation as a multi-purpose Swiss Army knife, a single platform seamlessly combines heavy water drops with the direct transport of ground crews to the fire line and emergency evacuations in critical situations.

Capable of dropping over 4,000 litres using a water bucket or belly tank, these aircraft can deliver up to 50,000 liters per hour onto the flames when a water source is nearby. This capacity to deliver such a high volume of water is supported by rapid scramble times, taking off in around eight minutes, alongside exceptional manoeuvrability to navigate narrow canyons or valleys and operate under extreme heat and high-altitude conditions.

Aerial view of Unidad Militar de Emergencias' Airbus H215 during firefighting mission

On the front line

In France, Airtelis and SAF deployed six H225 and H215 Super Pumas to tackle a fire season that exceeded the extreme intensity recorded in 2022. Together, the operators completed over 2,250 flight hours and performed more than 14,000 water drops, discharging over 56 million litres of water. The aircraft demonstrated their ability to drop water every three minutes on certain fires, maintaining maximum availability without any technical breakdowns causing prolonged downtime. "Experience gained over the past six seasons helped maintain a very high level of efficiency," according to Laurent Reynaud, Head of Development at Airtelis.

Airtelis performing water bucket drops with the Airbus H215

Meanwhile, Avincis completed a total of 642 missions and over 1,500 flight hours across Spain with its five deployed Super Pumas, averaging close to 300 hours per aircraft. In total, they carried out approximately 22,000 water drops, dropping around 66 million litres. Operating continuously from bases in Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha, they also provided broad coverage across the entire Spanish territory. "This fire season has been considerably more demanding than previous ones. We have faced a large number of major wildfires, creating particularly challenging conditions for both our crews and the helicopters," explains Luis Alsina, Chief Pilot of the H215 fleet at Avincis. Alsina adds that "the H215 is a highly versatile, fast and agile helicopter, particularly considering its size. From a pilot’s perspective, it is a pleasant and predictable aircraft to fly, which makes the flying experience comfortable and gives crews confidence".

Avincis' H215 conducting water drops during firefighting mission in Spain

The reach of these operations extends well beyond European borders. Heli Austria completed 915 flight hours on firefighting missions with its fleet of four H215s, making 6,929 drops in environments as varied as Chile, South Korea, Sardinia, Austria, Germany, and France. This global presence demonstrates how the same rotorcraft serves year-round across both hemispheres. "Our Super Pumas performed very well throughout the season. Their water capacity of around 4,000 litres and ability to refill close to a fire allow us to maintain short rotation times when conditions permit. They proved effective in both planned seasonal deployments and short-notice missions," explains Roy Knaus, CEO of Heli Austria. 

Heli Austria's Airbus H215 en route to support operation

Public force and dual nature

The dual-use concept proves its value during major environmental disasters. As the Super Puma is the only civil certified heavy helicopter, it can be utilised during crises. This enables institutions to pool resources and join forces when responding to climate emergencies.

This versatility is reflected in Spain's Military Emergencies Unit (UME - Unidad Militar de Emergencias), whose two Cougar helicopters integrated into the Emergency Helicopter Battalion remained permanently deployed throughout the wildfire campaign. The military unit responded to 14 firefighting operations in critical areas including Girona, Huesca, Castellón, Zaragoza, Guadalajara, Madrid, Ávila, Zamora, Cáceres, and Valencia, logging around 260 flight hours. Thanks to the platform's dual nature, military crews provide vital tactical transport and water-bombing support directly alongside ground firefighters.

Airbus H215 using a water bucket in support of UME firefighting operations in Spain

*European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS)

Fighting fires with the Super Puma family: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)