Local officials celebrated the grand reopening of the Ramona Air Attack Base Monday following a monthslong construction project that paves the way for a new tanker base at the fire station.Monday morning’s ceremony included the arrival of new aerial resources including a C-130H air tanker that will be used statewide.”The project is a crucial step in preparing the base to accommodate one of Cal Fire’s new C-130H air tankers, dramatically enhancing the agency’s wildfire response capabilities in Southern California,” Cal Fire said last summer at the beginning of the construction.The tanker is being added to Cal Fire’s current resources of three aircraft, one air attack platform and two air tankers that are based in Ramona.The reconstructed tarmac and fire retardant reloading bays replace an aging facility with a modern, state-of-the-art fire retardant mixing plant designed to enhance efficiency and support the increased size and operational requirements of the new aircraft, Cal Fire said.The Ramona Air Attack Base was built in 1957 and is also home to an S- 70 Cal Fire Hawk helicopter that’s equipped with a 1,000-gallon water tank, hoist rescue capability, and the ability to transport helicopter crews into remote terrain.The completion of the project marks a significant milestone, strengthening wildfire response across the county and regionally, according to fire officials.Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler, San Diego County Fire Chief Tony Mecham and County Board of Supervisors Chair Tara Lawson-Remer provided remarks at the event.
