Calleguas MWD Provides Primary Water Supply for Aerial Firefight During Sandy Fire by Calleguas MWD May 28, 2026 Member Submitted News Since the start of the Sandy Fire on the morning of May 18, Calleguas Municipal Water District’s (MWD) on-site reservoir, Lake Bard, served as the primary water source for aerial firefighting operations. Lake Bard holds over 3.4 billion gallons of water – plenty to provide sufficient supply for firefighting operations and maintain the emergency drinking water supplies the lake was built for. Calleguas continued to top off the lake during firefighting operations to keep it full. Lake Bard was utilized by aircraft from Ventura County Fire, Los Angeles County Fire, and the U.S. Forest Service hundreds of times during this incident – day and night. A total of 787,000 gallons of water was pulled. Aircraft include Ventura County Fire Department Firehawks, which can carry up to 1,000 gallons of water, and Coulson Helitankers, which can carry up to 3,000 gallons of water. Each “dip” into the lake lasts approximately 30-90 seconds depending on aircraft tank capacity, allowing aircraft to refill promptly. A single helicopter can refill multiple times over the space of an hour. Calleguas is proud to provide water supply in support of regional emergency response efforts, and makes water from Lake Bard available for aerial firefighting operations without seeking reimbursement. Having a nearby water source like Lake Bard reduces turnaround times for helicopters compared to trips to the ocean or other distant sources, helping aircraft return water to the fire faster during critical response periods. Of the 19 retail water agencies that Calleguas serves in Ventura County, the following deliver water to areas impacted by the fire or evacuation orders: City of Simi Valley (Ventura County Waterworks District No. 8) Golden State Water Company Brandeis Mutual Water Company Ventura County Waterworks District No. 17 (Bell Canyon) Calleguas provides significant portions of these water agencies’ demands, which increase during fire events as fire engines and pumper trucks pull water from fire hydrants. As the firefight began on Monday morning, demands from the fire-affected areas went up significantly, and Calleguas increased its water deliveries from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California by 40%. Calleguas’s ability to accommodate these demand increases requires continuous monitoring, coordination, and the technical expertise of District staff.
