Australia's bushfire season 2026 is shaping as one of the most concerning in recent years, with climate experts warning that a strengthening El Niño, combined with a developing positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), is creating the conditions for an earlier, hotter and potentially longer fire season. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has officially confirmed that El Niño is now active, while global climate models suggest the event could strengthen into one of the most p

Queensland, Australia – July 2026 – As forecasts point towards an earlier, hotter and drier bushfire season across eastern Australia, the Airview Fire Recon (AFR) team has entered its annual pre-season readiness program, ensuring every aspect of its aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability is ready to support the Queensland Fire Department throughout the 2026 fire season. With a developing El Niño expected to increase bushfire risk across much of

Europe is entering what experts expect to be another challenging wildfire season, with prolonged drought conditions, rising temperatures, and increasingly volatile fire behaviour continuing to place pressure on emergency services across the Mediterranean basin. Greece, in particular, has emerged as one of Europe's most heavily prepared nations, deploying record resources, advanced aerial assets, and extensive drone surveillance ahead of the peak summer months. Mediterranean R

AFR was proud to participate in the TDEM Annual Conference held in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 27–28, 2026, bringing together emergency management professionals, public safety leaders and industry partners from across the state and beyond. The AFR US team, represented by Harald Hohenthal and Robert Gunn, enjoyed an exceptionally busy and productive two days, fielding questions and enquiries from a wide range of agencies and their representatives. The level of interest in AFR'

The 2026 United States wildfire season is now underway, with early fire activity already reported across several regions, including parts of the Southeast, Southern Plains and Southwest. Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and other states have experienced significant incidents, driven by a combination of dry fuels, drought conditions, wind events and rising seasonal temperatures. In the Southeast, fire activity in Florida and Georgia has highlighted the importance

The AFR EU team recently completed a highly productive series of meetings in Athens, Greece, bringing together industry experts and key stakeholders to further define the company's strategic direction and business development plans across the region. Over two intensive days, discussions focused on several important initiatives that will support AFR's continued growth and operational capabilities throughout Europe. The meetings provided an excellent opportunity to review progr

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) is proud to announce its attendance at the upcoming Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, where the company will be showcasing its advanced airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities at Booth 1222. As one of the premier emergency-management conferences in North America, TDEM brings together emergency services leaders, government agencies, operational decision-makers, and technolog

Australia’s emergency management sector is already beginning preparations for what could become a challenging 2026/27 bushfire season, with multiple national and international forecasting agencies warning of developing climate conditions associated with increased fire risk. While Australia’s official summer bushfire outlook for 2026/27 has not yet been released, recent forecasting data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), AFAC (Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authori

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) has announced the appointment of Robert Gunn as Vice President and Head of Business Development for North America, reinforcing the company’s commitment to expanding advanced aerial intelligence capabilities across the United States. Based in Texas, Gunn brings more than 25 years of experience building markets, closing complex deals, and supporting the growth of technology-driven companies. Throughout his career across the US and Australia, he has deve

The Airview Fire Recon (AFR) team was proud to attend the Tangent Link Aerial Firefighting Conference in Rome this March, an event that once again proved why it sits at the very forefront of the global aerial firefighting calendar. Bringing together some of the brightest minds, most innovative suppliers, and experienced operators from across the world, the conference delivered an exceptional environment for collaboration, learning, and forward-thinking discussion. From emergi

As wildfire challenges continue to evolve globally, collaboration across operators, agencies, and technology partners is critical. From 24–26 March 2026, Airview Fire Recon will be attending the Aerial Fire Fighting Series: Global Conference and Exhibition in Rome—one of the leading international events dedicated to aerial and wildland firefighting. Bringing together operators, government agencies, aviation leaders, and technology providers from around the world, the conferen

Wildfires are no longer isolated or seasonal events—they are becoming a persistent and escalating challenge across Europe. Driven by shifting climate conditions, rising temperatures, and extended periods of drought, the scale and intensity of fires are increasing, placing growing pressure on ecosystems, communities, and national response capabilities. A Growing Challenge Across Europe Southern European countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain have faced some of the most sev

With more than two decades of operational experience in aerial wildfire reconnaissance, Stephen Brookes leads Airview Fire Recon (AFR) in delivering real-time aerial intelligence to fire agencies. For readers outside Australia — what exactly does AFR do? AFR provides real-time aerial fire intelligence, often referred to as ISR — Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. We specialize in collecting high-quality daylight and thermal aerial vision and geo-locational data

Wildfires have become a defining challenge for California, reshaping landscapes, communities, and the way fire agencies prepare for and respond to large-scale incidents. Once considered seasonal, wildfires in the state are now a year-round threat—driven by a combination of environmental conditions, human activity, and a changing climate. A State Under Constant Threat California’s geography makes it uniquely vulnerable to wildfire. With vast forested regions, dry grasslands, a

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) was honoured to attend the Paris Air Show following an invitation from Safran, providing a valuable opportunity to further its ongoing mission of evaluating and integrating world-leading ISR technologies. Representing AFR at the event were CEO Stephen Brookes and Chief Systems Engineer Joshua Brookes Allen, who took part in a dedicated flight testing programme of Safran’s advanced Euroflir 410 multi-sensor gimbal. The system, known for its high-end pe

In partnership with Elite Helicopters, Airview Fire Recon (AFR) is preparing to commence operations for the 2024 Queensland fire contract period, with the team finalising readiness to deliver advanced aerial intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities in support of wildfire management across the region. In the lead-up to deployment, AFR has completed extensive upgrades to its ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and mapping systems. These enhancements have be

This archived feature from the Bush Fire Bulletin highlights the early deployment of Airview Aviation’s groundbreaking “Eye in the Sky” capability during the 2008–09 fire season. Featuring Firebird 255, the article documents one of the world’s first live airborne fire intelligence platforms — delivering real-time daylight and infrared imagery directly to incident controllers and helping shape the future of aerial firefighting operations in Australia.

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) continues to reinforce its position as a leader in aerial intelligence and reconnaissance through an unwavering commitment to research, development, and innovation. As a solutions-driven company, AFR places a strong emphasis on identifying and integrating the most effective combinations of hardware and software to deliver best-in-class ISR capabilities to its clients. At the core of this approach is a well-funded and highly active R&D programme, suppo

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) was proud to exhibit at the Tangent Link Aerial Firefighting North America Conference, held in Sacramento, California, in March 2024—an event that once again demonstrated its status as one of the leading global gatherings for the aerial firefighting community. Representing AFR at the conference were Stephen Brookes, CEO, Harald Hohenthal, Company President and Chief of Operations, and Joshua Brookes Allen, Chief Technical Officer. Together, the team e

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) continues to expand its footprint across the United States, with CEO Stephen Brookes and U.S. President and Chief of Operations Harald Hohenthal recently visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico for a series of high-level meetings and strategic discussions. The visit focused on exploring opportunities to bring AFR’s advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and aerial mapping technologies to the state, supporting enhanced capabilities for

On 31 December 2019, Firebird 200, operating with the Airview Fire Recon (AFR) team, commenced operations conducting aerial intelligence and fire mapping over the Tumut fireground in southern New South Wales. The Tumut fire, ignited by dry lightning on 27 December, would go on to burn until 24 February 2020, ultimately impacting over 334,000 hectares of farmland and national forest. At approximately midday, AFR was re-tasked by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service to redepl

Airview Fire Recon (AFR), in partnership with Elite Helicopters, successfully completed a series of night aerial reconnaissance trials in Queensland at the request of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES). Conducted over several nights in November 2019, the trials were designed to evaluate the viability and operational effectiveness of night-time aerial intelligence in support of bushfire response operations. Operating from an Elite Helicopters “Firebird” platform

The United Aero / Airview Fire Surveillance team recently returned from Dubbo in Central West New South Wales, where they participated in the NSW Rural Fire Service Training Week, a key annual event focused on aviation capability, coordination, and volunteer training. Representing Airview Fire Surveillance during the exercise were crew members Joshua Brookes Allen, Stefan Weber, Stephen Brookes, and pilot John Boag. The team joined a strong turnout of NSW RFS volunteers, avia

Airview Fire Recon (AFR) has announced the arrival of a newly equipped Eurocopter AS350B “Firebird”, significantly enhancing aerial intelligence capability ahead of the upcoming New South Wales fire seasons. The aircraft has been purpose-built for aerial fire reconnaissance and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) operations, integrating the latest sensor and transmission technologies to support frontline firefighting efforts. At the platform's core is a gyro-