Thanks Gordy.
I have zero time on fires, but from friends who have been, they state that flying the AAS is part of the learning curve. By observing the fire pilots routine/system they are gaining some knowledge.
No replacement for long line training, but good exposure to the environment.
Changes to legislation here as Part61 will require 5 hours dual fire training. Although you only need 200 hours total time under legislation to gain the new fire endorsement, most Gov contracts require 1500 hours.