CHICO, Cal.- CAL FIRE announcing it is adding seven new C-130 air tankers into service.
The air tankers were previously a part of the U.S. Coast Guard fleet, used for search, rescue, and cargo hauling.
The air tankers were brought to McClellan Airtanker Base, where they were converted to enhance CAL FIRE’s aerial response to wildfires.
Now, these tankers are capable of delivering 4000 gallons of retardant in a single flight and have the greatest speed and range of all CAL FIRE aircraft.
“As the frequency and severity of the fire activity in California have increased, we need to meet that need with highly specialized mission-critical aircraft,” CAL FIRE Tactical Air Operations Division Chief Tom Firth said.
These tankers will be stationed at the Ramona, Paso Robles, Fresno, McClellan, and Chico Tanker Bases.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.