Incident management teams - These teams consist of fire managers whose primary responsibility is to develop and implement strategies to suppress wildfires and provide the food, equipment, transportation, and other goods and services that wildland firefighters need. There are four types of incident management teams, ranging from small local teams of three to five fire managers which supervise fire suppression when a blaze first starts to large, national teams of about 35 fire managers that oversee the most difficult, complex wildfires in the country. Air tankers - These large planes, fitted with tanks, provide direct support to firefighters on the ground by dropping up to several thousand gallons of water or chemical retardant ahead of an advancing wildfire. The retardant, a red liquid that contains phosphate fertilizers, helps slow and cool down the fire, buying time for firefighters to build a fireline. Retardant also acts as a fertilizer, helping new vegetation to grow in burned areas.
Aerial attack is frequently the first suppression action taken on a new fire.
Helicopters - Helicopters fitted with fixed tanks or suspended buckets that range in size from 100 to 2,200 gallons also support firefighters on the ground by dropping water, foam, or retardant on flaming trees, brush, and even structures to cool hot spots and to prevent a fire from spreading. In addition, helicopters are used to map fires with infra-red and satellite technology and to ferry firefighters, equipment, and supplies. They typically consist of between 3 and 10 firefighters, depending on the local situation and the type of helicopter. Because helitack crews can be rapidly deployed, they are often the first to respond to a wildfire. After sizing up the situation and reporting to the home unit from the air, the helicopter usually lands and the crew attacks the fire.