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Guardsmen Battle New Jersey Wildfire With Black Hawks

May 1, 2025 |DOD News

New Jersey National Guardsmen assisted the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and other state agencies to fight the Ocean County wildfires. Members of the 1st Battalion, 150th Assault Helicopter Regiment, New Jersey Army National Guard, used UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters equipped with a bucket firefighting system to combat the wildfires.

An airman sits in a helicopter's open cabin watching a smoky forest below.
An airman sits in a helicopter's open cabin watching a smoky forest below.
Seeing Smoke
Army Spc. Aidan Lazas, a crew chief assigned to the 1st Battalion, 150th Assault Helicopter Regiment, New Jersey Army National Guard, watches smoke from a UH-60M Black Hawk in Ocean County, N.J., April 28, 2025.
Download: Full Size (1.27 MB)
Credit: Army Sgt. Michael Schwenk, Army National Guard
VIRIN: 250428-Z-IB607-1630
A Black Hawk carries a bucket filled with water while in flight.
A Black Hawk carries a bucket filled with water while in flight.
Water Load
An Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter picks up water using the bucket firefighting system to extinguish flames in Ocean County, N.J., April 24, 2025.
Download: Full Size (1.03 MB)
Credit: Army Sgt. Michael Schwenk, Army National Guard
VIRIN: 250424-Z-IB607-1059
An airman leans over the open cabin of a helicopter as a bucket is filled with river water below.
An airman leans over the open cabin of a helicopter as a bucket is filled with river water below.
Water Refill
Army 1st Sgt. Timothy Witts uses a bucket firefighting system from a UH-60M Black Hawk to combat wildfires in Ocean County, N.J., April 28, 2025.
Download: Full Size (2.82 MB)
Credit: Army Sgt. Michael Schwenk, Army National Guard
VIRIN: 250428-Z-IB607-2770

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A Black Hawk helicopter hovers over water as it refills a bucket used for fighting wildfires.
A guardsman works underneath a helicopter to attach a bucket firefighting system.
Two guardsmen put on helmets next to a parked helicopter.
A guardsman watches from the cabin of an open helicopter into a smoky forest below.
A helicopter drops water from a red bucket over scorched trees, with smoke billowing.
An airman sits in the open cabin of a helicopter watching a smoky forest below.
A soldier sits in a helicopter and observes an orange firefighting bucket drop water on a smoky forest.
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Spotlight: Helping Hands
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