(KNX) — With peak wildfire season approaching, California said it launched the nation's first all-hazards military fire engine strike team this week.
The California Military Department has maintained a firefighting program to prevent, mitigate, and protect against fires on military bases and camps. The new Team Blaze, operated by the State Guard of Military, will be used to enhance California's Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid fleet.
Team Blaze is being assigned a Type VI strike team of wildland-style fire engines from the governor's Office of Emergency Services with the capacity to carry a 4-person crew. The engines can access rough terrain and hold 300 gallons of water.
The strike team will be in addition to the Military Department's existing Task Force Rattlesnake hand crew program made up of soldiers and airmen that have cleared and treated forest areas in central and northern California since 2019. Both will be part of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System of more than 270 fire engines across 60 local partners across the state that can respond to a wide range of incidents.
"We have always valued the California Military Departments partnership during times of need, especially during wildfires or other natural disasters," Cal OES Director Ghilarducci said in a statement. "These new engines will not only add to their capabilities, but also help augment our states wildfire and rescue resources more broadly."
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