Drop by drop: Vallfirest advances wildfire water logistics
Iain Hoey
Share this content
Javier Baena, Founder and CEO of Vallfirest, explains how the company’s aerial division increases tactical water supply and efficiency during remote wildfire operations
Securing a steady water supply is often the deciding factor in wildland firefighting, especially where roads end and helicopters take over.
Vallfirest’s aerial division tackles this logistical hurdle with three complementary tools: the Inflatable Tank, a water tank that can be deployed in under two minutes, the 3 000-litre Heliskid a high-performance skid unit engineered for heli-transport and the WaterHog, an advanced aerial firefighting bucket designed for helicopters of all sizes.
Together they increase water supply options, reduce turnaround times and maximise operational efficiencies and safety on the wildfire frontlines.
IFSJ spoke to Vallfirest’s Founder & CEO, Javier Baena, to find out how the company’s product range was conceived, what lessons have emerged from recent fire seasons and where innovations in ground and aerial firefighting might head next.
For readers new to the company, what does Vallfirest specialise in within wildland firefighting?
Vallfirest specialises in designing and manufacturing integrated equipment solutions for wildland firefighting.
Our range covers direct, indirect and aerial operations – from tactical tools and PPE to advanced logistics and suppression systems.
Vallfirest has developed a wide ecosystem of tools for direct, indirect and aerial operations. What drives your approach to innovation?
Our innovation is driven by field experience and operational feedback.
Members of our team – and especially our founder – come from firefighting backgrounds.
As wildfires grow more extreme and unpredictable due to climate change, we focus on solving real-world challenges: speed, safety, efficiency and mobility.
Every product must bring tangible value to frontline crews and adapt to the evolving demands of each fire season.
How does aerial support fit into Vallfirest’s overall strategy in wildland firefighting?
Aerial support is a key piece of the puzzle – especially as fires grow in size and complexity.
Our strategy is to integrate aerial operations with ground logistics through tools designed to work together.
The vft Aerial products enable faster water delivery, greater operational flexibility and safer deployments in areas that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Why has reliable aerial water supply become such a pressing issue for incident commanders today?
Because today’s wildfires move fast – and response time is everything.
When water sources are scarce or distant, helicopters become less effective.
Commanders need rapid-refill points close to the fire line and systems that reduce cycle times.
Reliable aerial water supply is no longer a luxury – it’s a tactical requirement.
Could you introduce the Inflatable Tank and its main role in supporting helicopter operations?
The Inflatable Tank is a lightweight water tank that can be delivered on site with a truck or flown in by helicopter and put into operation in under two minutes.
Its main role is to provide a mobile water source in remote or hard-to-reach areas.
Once deployed, it supports continuous bucket refills or hose operations – without the need for heavy ground logistics.
What are the main advantages of using an inflatable tank compared to more traditional setups?
Speed, portability and simplicity.
Traditional tanks often require assembly or structural support.
The Vallfirest Inflatable Tank is compact during transport, quick to deploy and self-sustaining in the field.
It reduces setup time, manpower needs and logistical strain.
It’s also the first and only inflatable tank in the world specifically designed to handle large helicopter bucket loads and withstand the impact of repeated drops.
What are the key features in terms of portability, setup time and water capacity?
Depending on the model, the tank weighs between 31 kg and 174 kg when packed and all sizes are designed to fit into standard aerial cargo nets.
Setup time is typically under two minutes.
With capacities ranging from 3,000 to 56,000 litres, the Inflatable Tank is suitable for both initial attack and extended operations in remote environments.
What is the Heliskid and how does it improve autonomy and speed in aerial operations?
The Heliskid is a 3,000-liter a high-performance skid unit engineered for heli-transport to the most inaccessible areas.
It can be transported by helicopter or towed on the ground.
Once in place, it can be set up in around five minutes, giving crews immediate access to high water volumes, allowing for hose lays, foam application or aircraft refills.
It boosts autonomy and reduces downtime between drops.
What practical advantages does the Heliskid give ground crews once it is flown or driven into position?
It brings water directly to the frontline.
Ground crews no longer need to rely on long hose stretches or wait for support units.
With a 3,000-liter capacity and rapid deployment by air or land, the Heliskid gives crews the autonomy to operate in remote areas and sustain suppression efforts where other resources can’t reach.
In what environments is the Heliskid especially effective?
It excels in rugged terrain, forest roads, mountainous areas and anywhere access is limited.
Its helicopter portability via external slung load means you can pre-position suppression capacity ahead of the fire front or resupply remote sectors quickly during active operations.
Buckets are often seen as basic tools; what distinguishes Vallfirest’s WaterHog and how does it integrate with your other equipment?
The Water Hog bucket is a robust, collapsible, multi-drop, gated valve bucket, proven to be reliable in arduous aerial firefighting missions for over 20 years.
The innovative valve design sees an in-valve, low powered actuator that supports unlimited drops and load shedding without fail.
The push to drop switch, allows the pilot easily control load management, to safely pull loads from dip sites and to take on more water volume per fuel cycle.
When integrated with Vallfirest’s Heliskid and Inflatable tank products, wildland fire operations personnel can bring more water to the fire, improve the chance of wildfire suppression at the critical moments.
The Water Hog is available in size ranges from 150L – 11,000L and use the same valve no matter the model size.
This interoperability allows for standardisation across the fleet to keep maintenance costs down and ensure continuous operation and successful firefighting.
The Water Hog volume capacities can be custom made to suit the operational limitations of any helicopter, making the Water Hog a highly versatile and proven performer for any helicopter type.
Looking ahead, where do you see the most promising opportunities to improve aerial firefighting tactics and technology?
Integration and autonomy.
As climate change fuels larger, faster and more unpredictable wildfires, the need to coordinate aerial and ground resources has never been greater.
The future lies in building a unified system – where every drop, refill and manoeuvre is optimised to respond to high-pressure scenarios.
We’re focused on making our equipment smarter and more connected, so crews can operate faster, safer and with greater impact.