Cal Fire expands aerial fleet amid jetfuel concerns | CA Politics 360

Cal Fire is expanding its firefighting capabilities with new aircraft and increased staffing as it braces for another challenging fire season in California, even amid budget concerns and fuel uncertainties. Battalion Chief David Acuna described a decade of rising fires, larger burned areas, and greater personnel needs, noting the addition of another C-130 to the fleet to boost retardant capacity up to 4,000 gallons per drop, compared with smaller S2 aircraft. Cal Fire operates the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet, integrating air and ground assets to keep most blazes under ten acres 95% of the time. Early response remains the agency’s core strategy amid fuel-cost pressures.