As with any battle, having up-to-date information is key to victory. That's among the many duties of this decked-out Ford Bronco, designed to be a mobile firefighting command vehicle that can access remote areas. It will serve at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, and it's not just an SUV with red decals.
Working with Darley, a manufacturer of fire and rescue vehicles among other things, this Bronco starts life as a Badlands model with the Sasquatch package. To refresh your memory, that adds a suspension lift and 35-inch tires for better off-roading. From there, a Warn winch, grille guard, and beadlock wheels help this Bronco access the remote areas of the 33,000-acre national monument it's tasked to protect.
Gallery: Ford Bronco Badlands Firefighting Command Vehicle
With the Bronco's focus being a command station, it's not equipped to fight fires directly. However, it's fitted with an array of advanced communication systems, not the least of which being government-spec radio and satellite connections. The gear occupies the space behind the second row of seats, but there's room enough for an advanced drone that feeds live images to monitors in the SUV. An advanced software suite controls it all, giving operators a better chance to catch fires in the early stages.
The Bronco was donated to Bandelier National Monument through Ford's Bronco Wild Fund. Another rig is currently being developed that will go to an as-yet-unnamed recipient, though it will be a "wildland firefighting agency."
The donation comes at a time when Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season ever. According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, Nearly 3,000 fires have been recorded in the country since the beginning of the year, burning over 19 million acres. 479 fires are active as of June 28, half of which are burning out of control.
Particular attention has fallen on fires in the eastern provinces, where smoke has resulted in numerous air quality warnings through the American Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Motor1.com contacted Ford to ask about potential assistance in these fires, but a spokesperson explained that the company's Bronco Wild Fund is exclusive to the US.
The Bandelier National Monument region in New Mexico certainly isn't immune to the dangers of wildfires. In 2000, the Cerro Grande Fire grew to 43,000 acres after a controlled burn in the park got out of hand. The La Mesa Fire in 1977 wiped out 15,000 acres, and the Dome Fire scorched 16,000 acres in 1996. However, these pale in comparison to the 2011 Las Conchas Fire, which burned 156,000 acres and directly impacted Bandelier. Coming close to the region was last year's Calf Canyon/Hermets Peak Fire, torching over 341,000 acres in the forests just east of the park.
