California deploys first C-130 Hercules made to fight wildfires

A massive C-130 Hercules aircraft was recently added to CAL FIRE's firefighting fleet and it's already being used.

California is the first state in the country to own, operate, and deploy a C-130H to fight wildfires, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office .

The C-130H began flying its first missions on Monday. It's the first of seven the state is retrofitting and deploying.

"The climate crisis has made wildfires more destructive, and we need to match these threats with new resources," said Newsom in a statement . "This aircraft will beef up CAL FIRE's ability to hit fires earlier and harder, better protecting Californians. It's part of our overall strategy that adds more boots on the ground and state-of-the-art technologies to CAL FIRE's world-leading capabilities, along with our huge ramp up in forest management."

Capable of flying 800 miles with a payload of 4,000 gallons of long-term fire retardant, the C-130H now has the greatest speed and range of CAL FIRE's fleet.

In 2018, the state got approval to acquire seven from the Coast Guard. Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in 2023, allowing the transfer of aircraft from the federal government to California,

"As wildfire frequency and severity increase across California, the introduction of this aircraft will undoubtedly play a crucial role in helping us achieve our initial attack goals, particularly in our efforts to keep 95% of fires at 10 acres or less," said CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler.

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