The state of California has a new tool to battle forest fires—and it’s a big one.
California is the first state in the nation to own, operate and deploy a C-130 Hercules airtanker to fight wildfires. It’s the first of seven similar aircraft that the state is retrofitting for that purpose.
The Hercules is capable of flying faster and further than any other aircraft in CAL FIRE’s fleet, with a range of 800 miles and a payload of 4,000 gallons of fire retardant, state officials announced.
One of the international hot spots for fire activity, California already maintains the world’s largest aerial fleet for battling wildfires. But even then, it has sometimes needed extra resources and has even called in help from the nation’s neighbors in the north, Canada, to borrow their massive airtankers.
State leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and the late Dianne Feinstein, led the charge in procuring the aircraft, hoping to add a game-changing piece of firefighting technology to CAL FIRE’s arsenal.
Newsom said the state was motivated by a desire to be more aggressive and prepared for wildfires, which have become more destructive due to climate change.
“We need to match these threats with new resources,” Newsom said in a news release. “This aircraft will beef up CAL FIRE’s ability to hit fires earlier and harder, better protecting Californians.”
The effort to obtain the massive firefighting plans began in 2018 when the state began negotiating a purchase of seven C-130H aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard. But California ran into a few speed bumps along the way and wasn’t able to complete the purchase until December 2023 when Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act.
Padilla said he’d been pushing the U.S. Air Force to complete the transfer since taking office.
Newsom’s Office said the Air Force and the Coast Guard played a “crucial role” in maintaining the planes in the interim, including replacing the inner and outer wing boxes and providing crucial spare parts.
After they were finally transferred into CAL FIRE’s possession, the aircraft underwent significant modifications to make them fit for duty.
The completed airtankers now feature massive 4,000-gallon tanks and special delivery systems for flame retardant.
When all seven Hercules aircraft are retrofitted and ready for service, they’ll be strategically placed at CAL FIRE bases across the state to ensure they’re never too far from where they’re needed.
“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.
To view more detailed information about the C-130 Hercules, click here.