The Hawaiʻi National Guard Black Hawk helicopter flew 22 aerial firefighting missions on Sunday in support of crews battling the Kawaihae Road wildfire on Hawaiʻi Island, dropping more than 14,500 gallons of water on the blaze. The helicopter was deployed at the request of Hawaiʻi County through the Hawaiʻi National Guard’s Operation Hoʻopauahi, a program that provides aerial firefighting support to county and state emergency responders during wildfires. “Our Black Hawk responded immediately, worked alongside the Hawaiʻi Fire Department and coordinated fire suppression water bucket drops where they were needed most,” Logan said. The Hawaiʻi National Guard has three helicopters positioned to support counties in containing wildfires before they grow larger. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Paul Angeleo, one of the Black Hawk pilots assigned to Sunday’s mission, said previous training and experience with county firefighters helped streamline operations.