For firefighters who rappel down ropes from helicopters, this year brought historic achievements and a renewed sense of purpose. The USDA Forest Service’s National Helicopter Rappel Program completed more operations than ever, worked in every region of the country, and improved its capabilities by adding a powerful new helicopter to its fleet.

The National Helicopter Rappel Program provides a specialized wildfire response capability, delivering highly trained firefighters rapidly by helicopter. Its primary mission is initial attack—these crews are called in to contain fires while they are still small, supporting aggressive fire suppression efforts. When minutes matter and containing a fire depends on decisive action, these specialized firefighters access places unreachable by foot.  

By early September, the program had completed over 1,165 operational rappels—more than any other season in the program’s history. This historic first is a reflection of a deliberate Forest Service strategy to use every tool available to contain fires while they’re still small, provided it is safe to do so.

Rappellers operated in every western region, Alaska, and, for the first time, in the Eastern Region when they assisted with wildfire suppression in Minnesota. Their presence was critical in places like the Blue Ridge Mountains, where Hurricane Helene left roads impassable due to storm damage.  

To meet the growing demand, the program acquired the Super Puma helicopter, which can reach incidents faster and stay airborne longer, improving response efficiency. It also has greater water capacity and more firefighter seats than the helicopter the program already used, the Bell medium helicopter. With over 2.3 million gallons of water dropped from this program this season, the aircraft’s increased capacity made a measurable difference. Now that the entire program is certified to operate from both Bell mediums and Super Pumas, it has a stronger initial attack capacity.

In total, the program supported nearly 300 rappel fires and 200 extended attack incidents, as well as transporting nearly 6,000 firefighters and over 700,000 pounds of supplies. And through it all, safety remained the most important goal. Despite the thousands of missions and over 3,000 flight hours, the program reported zero rappel injuries in 2025.

Throughout the busy season, the National Helicopter Rappel Program proved to be a critical force in wildfire management, with an expanded reach, faster response, and logistical support to deliver aggressive initial attack, keeping fires small, crews safe and communities protected.

Learn more

• How to become a rappeller

• The history of rappelling in the Forest Service: "A History of the USDA Forest Service Aviation Program" (PDF, 15.3 MB)