Michigan DNR adds two water scooping planes to help with wildfire fighting efforts
Two "water scooping" planes have joined the Michigan Department of Natural Resources firefighting fleet for the 2026 season, the agency says.
The Fire Boss aircraft are on lease from late April through early June, which is historically the worst time of year for wildfires in Michigan, and have already been on their first call. The two planes have been stationed at Gaylord Regional Airport in Otsego County, which the DNR says is a central location to reach areas of Michigan likely to see wildfires this spring.
Each of the Air Tractor AT-802 aircraft is capable of "scooping" up to 800 gallons of water from a lake in just 15 seconds. The planes' first call for the 2026 season was in early May, assisting ground crews with response to a fire on federal lands near Mio.
"They can get to a fire scene fast," said Kevin Jacobs, DNR aviation manager. "Having two of these planes working in tandem can make a difference in our ability to contain fires and protect people, property and natural resources."
The areas of Michigan that were devastated by the March 2025 ice storm are among those where wildfire is currently a concern.
"The branches and trees downed from the ice storm can impede us getting into the woods with equipment," Jacobs said. "The added debris on the ground will add fuel to the fire, which could cause wildfires to spread faster and burn with more intensity."
The planes need about a mile of open water to complete a water-scooping task, the DNR said.
The cost of leasing the planes this season was covered by a one-time allocation from the Michigan Legislature to mitigate the effects of the March 2025 ice storm.
The DNR also contracts with the Michigan State Police to use two police helicopters as needed for wildfire management. The police helicopters can carry Bambi buckets, which are 320-gallon buckets that can dip from smaller water sources.
"Utilizing both types of aircraft, we can quickly get to a fire with water scooped from large lakes or small ponds," Jacobs said.
In the meantime, state officials urge drone pilots to keep uncrewed aircraft away from wildfire scenes. The helicopters and planes assigned to carry water to the fire scenes need to fly within 100 feet of the ground to scoop and drop water, which takes them into the same range where drones normally can fly.