New water station in Anza gives firefighting helicopters another place to fill up

ANZA, Calif. (KESQ) — A new water station in Anza is designed to give firefighting helicopters quicker access to water during wildfires, helping crews protect homes and electric equipment.

Anza Electric Cooperative is marking the completion of its Heli-Hydrant with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Oct. 23. The event includes a planned demonstration of a helicopter drawing water from the system.

The installation pairs a 10,000-gallon helicopter pickup tank with a separate 100,000-gallon storage tank that supplies it. According to the cooperative, the remotely activated system allows helicopters to draw water without a ground crew and is estimated to support about 80 helicopter trips before the stored water needs replenishing.

The tanks sit on cooperative-owned property near Bautista and Mitchell roads, between Lake Hemet and Lake Riverside. Both lakes serve as aerial firefighting water sources. The new station adds another option between them.

The roughly $500,000 project was funded through Riverside County’s Unincorporated Communities Initiative. Anza Electric worked with Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington, CAL FIRE and Heli-Hydrant Inc. on the installation.

Along with helping protect residents, the project is intended to help firefighters protect electric infrastructure that communities depend on for power.