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Operational area | |
---|---|
Area served | California |
Headquarters | Sacramento McClellan Airport |
Agency overview | |
Established | 1958 |
Staffing | 18 CAL FIRE personnel, 130 contract employees |
Facilities and equipment | |
Stations | 14 air tanker bases, 11 helicopter bases |
Airplanes | 42 |
Helicopters | 25 |
The CAL FIRE Aviation Management Program is a branch of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (known also as CAL FIRE). Due to the frequency and severity of wildfires in California, the state has elected to establish its own aerial firefighting force rather than rely solely on contract or national resources. The Aviation Management Program is based at McClellan Airfield near Sacramento, California.