Climate change is increasingly hindering aerial firefighting efforts, with temperatures often surpassing 40 °C during the summer fire season, according to Arno de Lange, a command and control pilot at Kishugu Aviation in Stellenbosch.
De Lange explains that such extreme heat conditions can lead to pilot fatigue, making it more challenging to manage fire operations. He is among the youngest pilots battling intense wildfires in the Western Cape.
De Lange also observes that the expanding wildfire-urban interface is worsening due to climate change. In one example he was called to assist with a water bombing at a hotel in St Helena Bay on the West Coast, which was ablaze.
The hotel had a thatched roof, and before they arrived, the roof collapsed on structural firefighters, forcing them to retreat for safety. Aerial firefighting resources were vital in the life-threatening situation.The fire was in the heart of the town, with people on the beach nearby, making it a challenge.
“Vegetation is growing and providing fuel for wildfires,” De Lange notes, emphasising how wildfires are increasingly encroaching on urban areas.
He has developed a deep passion for aerial firefighting as a young pilot. He explained that the 2024 fire season was the busiest he has been involved in, with times when strong winds prevented helicopter take-offs.
De Lange expressed concern about the shifting patterns of climate change and their impact on firefighting efforts.
After earning his pilot’s licence in 2015, De Lange transitioned to teaching flight training at various schools across South Africa before joining Kishugu Aviation. “I didn’t have a firefighting background as a pilot, but I had to learn it,” he said.
This new passion for saving lives and livelihoods through aerial firefighting has since become his calling.
De Lange’s main responsibilities include coordinating firefighting operations and dispatching aircraft to fire emergencies. Pilot safety is a top priority, he emphasises.
“Every fire is unique, and I’ve gained a wealth of experience in aerial firefighting,” he said.
As fire seasons grow longer and overlap, the demand for aerial firefighting resources increases yearly.
