Req 7a4 — Hand Crews & Aircraft

Modern wildfire suppression relies on coordinated operations combining ground forces, heavy equipment, and aviation resources:

• Hand Crews (Hotshots & Type 2 Crews): 18 to 20 firefighters equipped with hand tools (Pulaskis, McLeod tools, chainsaws) who dig firelines, cut brush, and conduct burnout operations in steep terrain.
• Machinery (Bulldozers & Tractor-Plows): Heavy machinery used to rapidly scrape wide containment lines through dense brush and timber.
• Aircraft (Air Tankers & Helitack): Fixed-wing air tankers drop long-term chemical fire retardant to slow fire spread, while helicopters (helitack) drop water buckets directly on hot spots to cool the fire for ground crews.

Requirement 7a4 Resources

Next Steps

Learn how firefighters secure firelines during mop-up operations in Requirement 7a5.