Washington National Guard Aviation Crews Complete Water Bucket Training for Wildfire Season

PUYALLUP, Wash. — Aviation crews assigned to the 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, Washington Army National Guard, partnered with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue to conduct water bucket training near Puyallup on May 12, 2026.

The training directly prepares rotary-wing aircrews and support personnel who will deploy under state active duty orders to combat wildfires across Washington. The 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment operates UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters configured for aerial firefighting, including external water bucket systems with capacities of up to 660 gallons per load.

Central Pierce Fire and Rescue personnel provided ground coordination and safety oversight during the drops.

The sessions mark the transition from winter maintenance and non-fireflight qualifications to full wildfire suppression readiness. Prior to the training, the crews had completed annual flight-hour requirements but lacked recent hands-on bucket work; the new drills establish operational proficiency that state emergency managers require before assigning aircraft to active fire incidents.

The readiness window opens immediately and remains in effect through the end of the 2026 wildfire season, which historically runs from June through October in Washington.

Downstream, the completed training allows the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Emergency Management Division to request Guard aviation assets without additional qualification delays once fires ignite. It also synchronizes the battalion’s availability with interagency agreements that govern cost reimbursement between federal, state, and local partners.

If large-scale fires develop, the unit’s crews can be tasked within hours rather than days, directly affecting containment timelines on the initial attack.

This marks the annual pre-season readiness cycle for Washington National Guard aviation. The 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment has supported wildfire suppression in the state every season since at least 2015, providing both bucket drops and personnel transport under Title 32 and state active duty authorities.

The Department of Defense released the training details in a May 12, 2026 statement.