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NEW YORK, June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ridgewood Infrastructure LLC ("Ridgewood"), a leading infrastructure investor in the U.S. lower middle market, today announced the acquisition of Dauntless Air ("Dauntless" or the "Company"), a market-leading aerial firefighting company that provides emergency management infrastructure for wildfire response.
Dauntless owns and operates the nation's largest and most technologically advanced fleet of Fire Boss aircraft. These specialized water-scooping air tankers, also known as Single Engine Scoopers (SES), are purpose-built to rapidly attack and contain wildfires that threaten people, land and property. Dauntless deploys these aircraft, highly trained personnel and support equipment under long-term government contracts for wildfire suppression services.
"Dauntless is a highly differentiated emergency management infrastructure platform operating at the center of an increasingly important public safety mission," said Ryan Stewart, Partner at Ridgewood Infrastructure. "The Company has established a leadership position through its scale, operational capabilities and long-standing relationships, and we look forward to partnering with Dauntless leadership and the entire team to continue growing the platform."
Wildfire response has become a heightened public infrastructure priority as fire seasons continue to grow longer and more severe in many regions of the United States. Dauntless' contracted, availability-based operating model provides government agencies with dedicated aerial firefighting capacity that can be positioned when and where it is needed most. This includes pre-positioning aircraft before fire season, in anticipation of increased fire activity, as well as re-positioning throughout the season based on changing conditions. This tactical flexibility and Dauntless' operational effectiveness are essential in protecting communities, critical infrastructure and natural resources from evolving wildfire threats.
Brett L'Esperance, Chief Executive Officer of Dauntless, said: "Our team is known for delivering operational excellence, reliability, safety and innovation in some of the most challenging wildfire environments in North America. We are looking forward to building on that reputation in partnership with Ridgewood, which shares our commitment to continuously improving our capabilities, investing in our people and providing our customers the highest level of service."
Dauntless has decades of performance history with federal and state government customers. The Company's market position is further supported by significant barriers to entry, including specialized aircraft, rigorous operational requirements, regulatory certifications and highly trained personnel.
"Dauntless embodies many of the characteristics we seek in an infrastructure investment: essential services, mission-critical operations, strong barriers to entry and avenues for operational growth," said Ross Posner, Managing Partner of Ridgewood Infrastructure. "We are excited to support management as they continue expanding the platform's capabilities."
Following the acquisition, Dauntless will continue to be led by Brett L'Esperance and the existing management team. Ridgewood intends to support continued investment in the Company's operational capabilities, customer partnerships and strategic growth initiatives. The Company will also pursue opportunities to expand its emergency management infrastructure platform through fleet growth, adjacent service offerings and selective acquisitions.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Ridgewood Infrastructure
Ridgewood Infrastructure is a leading infrastructure investor focused on essential services in the U.S. lower middle market. Ridgewood partners with management teams to build, scale and professionalize infrastructure platforms that provide critical services to customers and communities.
About Dauntless Air
Dauntless Air is an aerial firefighting company deeply dedicated to protecting people, land and property from the devastation of wildfires. Armed with North America's largest and most technologically advanced Fire Boss fleet, Dauntless supports rapid initial attack operations and wildfire suppression efforts that enable wildland firefighters and government agencies to put out fires faster and at a substantially lower cost than traditional tanker methods. To learn more, visit https://dauntlessair.com and follow Dauntless Air on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.
Contact Information:
Ridgewood Infrastructure
527 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 867-0050
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