Fresno Air Attack Base

·         In 1955 the Fresno Air Attack Base was added to the Unit, operating from the Fresno airport terminal at Chandler Field.

·         The earliest air operations were fire patrol planes that flew out of Fresno (Chandler) and Coalinga airports.

·         In 1960 the air program was moved to Hammer Field, which was a World War II Army Air Corps facility and now is the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

·         In 1994 the Fresno Air Attack Base and the Emergency Command Center were completely remodeled and co-located at the Fresno Yosemite Airport. CAL FIRE ceased air operations in Fresno in 2012.

·         CAL FIRE resumed air operations at the Fresno Air Attack Base in 2021.

·         Currently Fresno Air Attack Base is staffed with one OV-10 aircraft serving as Air Attack 430, with plans of having a C-130 Air Tanker in the near future.

·         Fresno Air Attack Base is a joint base with the U.S. Forest Service which also staffs Air Attack 15.

·         Fresno Air Attack Base has 5 loading pits for loading Air Tankers with retardant and can also support Military MAFFS aircraft (Modular Airborne FireFighting System).

·         The base has 4 retardant storage tanks with a capacity of 25,000 gallons each.

·         Air Attack 430 provides aerial supervision for Fresno, Madera, Mariposa and Tulare counties as well as Sequoia-Kings National Park, Yosemite National Park, Sierra National Forest, Sequoia National Forest and the Inyo National Forest.