CAL FIRE's Use of DC-10 Airtanker

California is rich in natural resources. Of the 85 million acres classified as wildlands, nearly 17 million are commercial forest land, half privately-owned and half government-owned. This forest land grows 3.8 billion board feet yearly. Approximately 2 billion board feet of timber is harvested per year, with a value of over $1 billion. In addition to timber, the state's wildlands also provide valuable watershed, wildlife habitat, and recreation resources.

Maintaining the sustainability of all these natural resources is the goal of the CAL FIRE Resource Management Program. The Department achieves this goal by administering state and federal forestry assistance programs for landowners, demonstrating sound management practices on eight demonstration state forests, enforcing the California Forest Practice Act on all non-federal timberlands, providing research and educational outreach to the public on forest pests such as Sudden Oak Death, and coordinating efforts for fuel reduction to reduce the risk of fire and improve the quality of California ecosystems.

CAL FIRE's mission emphasizes the management and protection of California's natural resources. The Resource Management Program is an integral part of that responsibility.