In fact, as early as 2003, the U.S. Fire Administration recognized this threat, and responded with a report, “Safe Operation of Fire Tankers,” which remains a valuable resource today.

Water Shift Blamed for Fatal Ala. Fire Tanker Crash. Oct. 25, 2013 . LODDS. Indiana Firefighter Killed in Tanker Rollover Crash. Nov. 12, 2012 . Voice Your Opinion!

For example, one change has been in water tank size. My first engine had a 400-gallon tank, and today our engine has a 750-gallon tank. Our water systems have also improved.

If the fire is too advanced or if a fully involved structure is threatening a building that’s uninvolved, tank water can make all of the difference. Even a 500-gallon tank might be enough to ...

The air tanker is a retrofitted C-130 plane that Cal Fire obtained from the U.S. Coast Guard. Cal Fire will be converting six additional planes to be used as air tankers to aid their firefighting ...