News outlets around the world are diligently covering the destruction caused by the deadly wildfires afflicting much of Southern California at the moment. Throughout this horrific and ongoing tragedy have come unexpected moments of positivity, like public support and awareness of the death-defying firefighters and their heroism and skill that’s necessary to combat these natural disasters and save others. People with no prior interest in heavy machinery are reposting videos of impressive aerial water drops and shining a global spotlight on the often-unmentioned tools, tactics, and titanic vehicles used to combat the fires. Enter this beast called the Fire Dozer.
Aside from having an objectively badass name, the Fire Dozer also has some badass modifications that make it the perfect tool to combat wildfires. Based on a Caterpillar D8R tractor, it’s over 11 feet tall, weighs 93,000 pounds, and clears away brush while keeping two firefighters safe and comfortable, even when surrounded by fire. It was also seen bulldozing abandoned cars out of the street to allow emergency responders to access the fires. Powering the Fire Dozer is a turbocharged 14.6-liter six-cylinder diesel engine that produces 395 horsepower and up to 1,500 pound-feet of torque, and it carries 165 gallons of fuel to keep it working hard for around 12 hours straight.
The windows are made of the same tempered glass that you find on your oven, and inside the cabin those windows can also be shielded with Storm King fire curtains designed by NASA to keep firefighters safe from the intense heat and fire just outside. It also has two air purifiers that allow firefighters to work for long shifts without fear of smoke inhalation. Keeping an engine cool in the middle of a wildfire is no mean feat, so the Fire Dozer carries 23 gallons of liquid coolant.
While it might not be immediately obvious how a bulldozer can help fight fires, these wildfires burn across thousands of acres of undeveloped land that’s often peppered with dry grasses, shrubs, and trees that fuel the fire and help it spread. The Fire Dozer uses its huge scoop that’s over 16 feet across to clear away 30 feet of flammable material in just two passes and form what’s called a fire break. The fire break does just what it sounds like: it gives the fires a break from direct access to more fuel and gives firefighters a chance to establish a perimeter around the burn to control its spread. The LA County Fire Department has a fleet of these dozers that are kept ready to spring into action 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Operators must have some 5,000 hours of stick time in order to qualify to apply for the job of driving one of the dozers.
The Los Angeles region has been experiencing extreme winds and low humidity that exacerbate the severity of the fire danger, but the LA County Fire Department and many fire departments from surrounding counties, states, and even countries are all chipping in to help stop the fires from spreading any further. It’s thanks to machines like this and the heroism and bravery of the Fire Dozer operators, airtanker pilots, firefighters, and first responders that wildfire destruction is controlled.