A Kansas Forest Service Grumman Air Tanker A Kansas Forest Service air tanker was called in to assist firefighters Thursday in Russell County, Kans., after a wildfire near Wilson Lake reignited. The Air Tanker 95, a Grumman S-2 Tracker, conducted aerial retardant and water drops to slow the fire’s spread while ground crews worked containment lines. The S-2 air tanker platform is widely used in U.S. wildland firefighting for its maneuverability and short-field capability with a typical payload of 1,200 gallons of retardant or water. The fire burned around 350 acres before it was brought back under control, according to David Elliott, Russell County Emergency Manager. The tanker dropped two payloads of water to help contain the blaze. Units from Sylvan Grove and Wilson assisted in bringing the fire under control.
