Night-Vision Helicopter Wraps Seasonal Contract With ODF Southwest Oregon
Brim Aviation’s 4AF brought a new after-dark wildfire detection capability to the district this season.
AT A GLANCE
Aircraft: 4AF, a Brim Aviation Type 3 helicopter.
Contract: 75 days during fire season, with extensions possible when conditions warrant.
New capability: Approved night flights using night vision goggles.
Already used: ODF says an NVG flight recently located three lightning-caused fires after dark.
Current limits: Water drops remain daylight-only.
What’s next: ODF hopes to expand night operations in the future, potentially including after-dark water drops.
MEDFORD, Ore. — One of the more unusual tools in Southwest Oregon’s wildfire response wrapped up its seasonal contract this week.
4AF (4 Alpha Fox), a Type 3 helicopter operated by Brim Aviation, completed its final contracted day with the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District on Sept. 5 after 75 days of availability during fire season.
The helicopter has worked with ODF for years, but this season added something new: approved night flights using night vision goggles.
That capability has already been put to work.
During a recent flight following lightning across the district, ODF says crews using night vision goggles located three lightning-caused fires from the air after dark.
For Southwest Oregon, where lightning can leave small starts smoldering in steep, heavily forested terrain, finding those fires early can make a significant difference.
A tool after dark
ODF aviation personnel and a Brim Aviation pilot completed specialized training before beginning approved night-vision operations.
The goggles amplify available light, giving trained crews another way to search for smoke, heat, and other signs of fire activity after sunset.
4AF on Helipad: Brim Aviation’s 4AF, a Type 3 helicopter contracted by ODF Southwest Oregon, sits on a helipad during the 2026 fire season. The aircraft supported reconnaissance, fire detection, personnel and equipment transport, daytime water drops, and newly approved night-vision flights. Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.
During those missions, ODF says the pilot’s primary job remains flying the aircraft safely, while a trained aviation supervisor focuses on the wildfire mission and helps maintain situational awareness.
The district also clarified that Brim’s pilots were not starting from scratch with night vision technology.
In response to a question about whether ODF could simply hire retired military helicopter pilots with NVG experience, the district said Brim Aviation has already been flying with night vision goggles for years.
“Brim Aviation has actually been flying with NVGs for years, and their pilots already bring that experience to the table,” ODF Southwest Oregon said.
The specialized training this season, the district explained, brought ODF aviation personnel and the Brim pilot together to build an approved program specifically for wildfire missions in Southwest Oregon.
What 4AF does
4AF is a smaller Type 3 helicopter, making it well suited for the rugged terrain found across Jackson and Josephine counties.
Its duties include reconnaissance, locating fires, moving firefighters and equipment, and making water drops during daylight hours.
For now, ODF says water-dropping operations with 4AF remain limited to daylight.
But the district is looking ahead.
As the night-vision program develops, ODF says the goal is to expand what crews can safely do after dark, including the possibility of eventually making water drops at night.
That would add another layer of response during periods when new fires can be difficult to locate and access before sunrise.
Contract ends, fire season does not
4AF is contracted to ODF for 75 days during fire season and can remain longer when conditions warrant.
Based on current conditions, the district allowed the helicopter’s seasonal contract to end.
Other aviation resources will remain available longer, and firefighters continue to staff the district as fire season continues.
So while 4AF is leaving the lineup for now, the aircraft may have left something behind: a new capability that could become increasingly important in Southwest Oregon wildfire response.
Keep Reading
ODF Southwest Oregon’s 4 Alpha Fox helicopter has completed its 75-day seasonal contract after introducing approved night-vision wildfire flights this year. One recent after-dark mission located three lightning-caused fires.