Most of the vehicles are to be delivered by July 2002 in time for next year’s dry season, said Oshkosh. The order includes 31 tanker trucks and 25 Hawk wildland fire trucks. The new trucks meet the requirements of the federal General Services Administration schedule so other governmental agencies, federal, state and local, can purchase like vehicles through the GSA Advantage program. Oshkosh added that those 56 trucks will be added to its fleet of 140 vehicles that fight fires in California's 18 national forests.
Oshkosh, based in Oshkosh, WI, said that there were 122,800 wild fires in the United States in calendar year 2000 that burned 8.4 million acres. The federal government spent $1.3 billion preserving the nation's natural resources, with more than 30,000 people were involved in fighting these fires.