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topicnews · August 27, 2024

Cal Fire receives seven former Coast Guard aircraft to fight wildfires

Cal Fire receives seven former Coast Guard aircraft to fight wildfires

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A new aircraft with the highest speed and range of its kind is being added to Cal Fire’s wildfire-fighting fleet.

The C-130 Hercules, once part of the U.S. Coast Guard fleet, is the first of seven aircraft that California is converting and using to fight wildfires, according to a press release Monday.

The state made history as the first in America to own, operate and deploy a C-130 Hercules tanker aircraft.

These aircraft were previously used for search and rescue missions and cargo transport, said Tom Firth, head of the tactical air operations division, in a video about the C-130H.

The deployment of these aircraft comes as eight fires of more than 1,000 acres are currently burning in parts of California, according to the Los Angeles Times wildfire map. That includes the Park Fire, the fourth-largest wildfire in the state’s history, which has burned 429,603 acres in Northern California, Record Searchlight reported. It was 82% contained as of Monday morning.

Efforts to add these aircraft to Cal Fire’s fleet began in 2018, when the state received approval to acquire seven from the Coast Guard. Last year, the National Defense Authorization Act was passed, allowing the transfer of the aircraft from the federal government to California.

“As the frequency and severity of wildfires increases across California, the addition of this aircraft will undoubtedly play a critical role in helping us meet our initial suppression goals, particularly in our efforts to contain 95% of fires to 10 acres or less,” Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler said in the release.

How does the C-130H compare to Cal Fire’s fleet?

The C-130H can fly 800 miles and carry 4,000 gallons of fire retardant, while the S-2T air tanker’s payload is 1,200 gallons of fire retardant, according to a Cal Fire fact sheet.

The aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, will carry a three-person crew consisting of a pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer.

The aircraft’s speed – a maximum of 368 miles per hour – and range are the longest in Cal Fire’s air fleet, the press release said.

The C-130H aircraft will be stationed at the Ramona, Paso Robles, Fresno, McClellan and Chico tanker bases and will be used “for the rapid initial application of fire retardant to wildfires,” according to a Cal Fire fact sheet.

Paris Barraza is a trends reporter covering California for The Desert Sun. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @ParisBarraza.

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