Thanks for the vested advice Farmer Brown. The real point is you need lots of assets to fight fires. Early intervention is a policy practiced in Canada but seemingly not here for lack of equipment, valiant manpower or money. No one decries the efforts of the boys and girls who give their all here but rather we need a bigger "stick" to add to the armory.
In Canada the AT's replaced B-26's. My friend who has flown firebombers for >25 years tells me that the -26's would fly when AT's are blown out with high winds. The 215/415's always operate in teams so it is not one replacing multiple smaller machines..