Two air tankers activated on CWN contracts

air tanker Medford Klamthon Fire
T-102 at Medford July 5, 2018. Photo by Tim Crippin.

Two large air tankers were activated on June 9 on Call When Needed (CWN) contracts. The administrative  base for Tanker 102, an MD-87, will be San Bernardino, California. For Tanker 12, a BAe-146, it will be Redding, California. These are guaranteed 90-day contracts, not the typical CWN arrangement when they can work a few days and then be sent home.

The aircraft may or may not spend any significant amount of time at those bases; it just designates who is responsible for keeping track of their paperwork.

More large air tankers will be brought on later this month using the same guaranteed 90-day contract process.

Range Fire air tanker
Air tanker 12 on the Range Fire, August 27, 2016. Photo by Kern County Fire Department.

Two other tankers were activated at the end of May, T-104 (MD-87) and T-137 (B-737).

These 4 CWN tankers added to the 13 on exclusive use contracts brings the temporary total up to 17. It is unknown when the four CWN ships will be let go.

Photos of air tankers at McClellan


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Above: Air Tankers 102 (MD-87) and 134 (C-130)

Don Hosford took these photos of firefighting aircraft at Sacramento McClellan Airport August 31, 2018.

air tankers sacramento mcclellan airport
Air Tankers 23 (P-3) and 944 (747)
air tankers sacramento mcclellan airport
Air Tanker 914, a DC-10
air tankers sacramento mcclellan airport
Air Tanker 118, an HC-130H

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Air tankers at Medford fighting the Klamathon Fire

wildfire acres burned 1960 - 2010 united states

Above: T-93 departs Medford, Oregon for the Klamathon Fire in California. All photos by Tim Crippin July 5, 2018.

Tim Crippin took these photos July 5 of eight air tankers that were fighting the Klamathon Fire and reloading at Medford, Oregon.

As of Friday morning the fire just across the state line in California had burned approximately 8,000 acres and multiple structures. A civilian who has not yet been identified died in the fire.

air tanker Medford Klamthon Fire
T-914
air tanker Medford Klamthon Fire
T-164

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