Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) congratulated Aero-Flite, Inc., of Spokane, on the five-year contract awarded for two of their water-scooping aircraft. The aircraft will be used primarily for the initial attack of wildland fires.

“We have to modernize the tools and technologies we use to fight fires if we want different results. It’s good the Forest Service will be using faster, cleaner technology to keep our communities and our firefighters safe,” Sen. Cantwell said.

These aircraft scoop water sources from lakes, rivers or at ground locations. By using water instead of fire retardant, these aircraft have less pollution concerns than traditional aircraft. Water-scooping aircraft also have the ability to return more quickly to an ongoing fire than regular tankers.

Aero-Flite, Inc. is a private company that contracts with the U.S. Forest Service to provide aircraft and crews for fighting wildfires. In 2014, the company announced it was moving its headquarters from Arizona to Spokane, Washington. Last August, Sen. Cantwell visited Aero-Flite’s headquarters in Spokane, after days of roundtables and meetings with local communities and officials affected by that summer’s wildland fires.