VIDEO: A “significant” Cal Fire construction project at the Ramona Air Attack Base, being designed to accommodate a new air tanker, will begin next week. According to a news release issued Sunday, the agency stated the project “is a crucial step in preparing the base to accommodate one of Cal Fire’s new C-130H air tankers, dramatically enhancing the agency’s wildfire- response capabilities in Southern California.” The project was scheduled to begin Aug. 1.
Project workers will demolish and reconstruct the base’s “aging” tarmac and fire-retardant reloading bays to improve efficiency and support the C-130H’s increased size and operational requirements. Nearly 70 years old, the Ramona Air Attack Base currently holds three aircraft, one air attack platform and two air tankers, according to Cal Fire. The agency estimated the project would take eight to 12 months to complete. In turn, the Ramona plant “will be out of operation, necessitating adjustments to firefighting air operations,” according to the statement.
