Above: file photo of Tanker 910 at Rapid City. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

There are now three DC-10 Very Large Air Tankers on contract. The first two are on exclusive use contracts and have been working for a number of weeks. Rick Hatton of 10 Tanker Air Carrier confirmed that a third, T-910, was just added on a Call When Needed contract.

Currently T-910 is based at Merced, T-911 is in Phoenix, and T-912 is at McClellan. T-911 has been working the Tenderfoot fire in Arizona and T-912 has been on the Pony fire in Northern California.