April 8, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
In order to improve wildfire and emergency response abilities and times, the Oregon Department of Forestry is launching a new multi-mission aircraft that will improve fire detection, monitoring and response. This plane is expected to significantly help firefighters locate and stop forest fires as they arise unexpectedly.
This plane, a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, is replacing a Partenavia P.68 Observer that has been used for more than 30 years. The Twin Otter is a $13.23 million investment, including $12 million in legislatively approved bonds from 2023 and $1.23 million from additional funding sources. The most significant advancement that the Twin Otter brings is advanced sensing technology and mission systems through artificial intelligence that cost $5.4 million.
The Twin Otter will specifically bring things like improved endurance and range, the ability to remain airborne for longer and cover more territory and the ability to transport personnel and equipment when needed. An ODF state aviation coordinator explained, “This is a significant advancement in how the agency detects, monitors, and responds to incidents across Oregon.”
In the past, Oregon firefighters would manage forest fires by having crew on the ground track weather and lightning forecasts, upload this data to a plane’s mapping tools if they expected a possible fire and, once cleared for takeoff, scan potential areas with sensors and night vision goggles from the plane. As soon as the plane detected a fire, the firefighters would spread the word to dispatchers, who would then send a crew to control the fire. The Twin Otter’s new sensing technology will take this process and make it much faster and more efficient.
The Twin Otter will be equipped with AI that uses wide area mapping, high definition thermal imaging, augmented reality mapping software and night operations capability. This new technology made possible by AI will allow firefighters to identify emerging forest fires much faster, track fires more precisely and accurately and maintain awareness at all times, including at night. One of the key advantages present here is the night vision capability, as identifying forest fires in the dark through the previous mapping tools was much slower. State aviation manager Neal Laugle explained, “When operating at night, NVGs allow our crews to detect subtle visual cues—like the flicker of a new fire start—that are often difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye.”
ODF also expects the Twin Otter to be able to help with flood response, severe storms, search and rescue operations and disaster damage assessments through the use of geospatial artificial intelligence.
“It builds on decades of experience while bringing new capabilities that allow us to detect fires earlier, understand conditions in real time, and provide critical intelligence to firefighters and decision-makers on the ground when every minute matters,” Laugle said.
The Twin Otter will be located at the Prineville Airport in central Oregon because this space allows for the quickest access to all regions that are most susceptible to forest fires. It is currently undergoing final integration and testing in California before it is set to be used in peak wildfire season.
Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu
