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Vermont forest agency seeks funding for Type 6 wildland engine after 57-acre Morgan Grove fire
Summary
Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation officials told the Senate Transportation Committee they need a Type 6 wildland engine (roughly $275,000) to improve remote firefighting, support volunteer departments, expand prescribed burning capacity and participate in regional mutual-aid deployments.
The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation asked the Senate Transportation Committee on April 4 for funding to buy a Type 6 wildland fire engine to improve response to remote and multi-day wildfires.
Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation State Forest Fire Supervisor Dan Bilner said the agency lacks a nationally standardized wildland engine and that a Type 6 vehicle would let crews reach remote fires, move water long distances at high pressure and remain self-sufficient on assignments. “If we had a Type 6 wildland engine, we could drive because of the conditions of the roads. We could get a real, you know, offroad‑type engine right close to where we needed it, and we’re gonna save a lot of time,” Bilner said.
The request follows an unusually active fall season and a 57-acre blaze known in the meeting as the Morgan Grove Fire in the town of Barnard, which Bilner said made a half‑mile run in a single operational period. The agency and volunteer departments fought the fire over multiple days, laying about 6,000 feet of forestry hose and relying on a network of municipal tankers and borrowed equipment to move water. Two seasonal, privately owned structures were lost, Bilner said.
Why it matters: committee members and agency leaders said the engine would let state crews support volunteer departments for longer periods, reduce labor‑intensive hose deployments in remote terrain, increase capacity for prescribed burning and allow Vermont to send its engine to assist other states under regional mutual assistance agreements. Albert Pearson, state forester and director of the forest division for the agency, told the committee that the House added funding for the engine to its FY26 budget during the legislative process, and that the administration would support the appropriation if it remains in the budget.
Technical and cost details: Bilner described the national Type 6 standard as a relatively small, highly mobile engine designed for off‑road work. The vehicle the agency described carries roughly a 330‑gallon tank and can be crewed and equipped to remain self‑sufficient on a two‑week assignment. Bilner and other witnesses estimated the fully equipped vehicle would cost about $275,000, including required add‑on equipment and outfitting.
Training and operational notes: Bilner said state crews are pursuing national wildland firefighter qualifications (so‑called red carding) and expect to increase certified personnel from about 15 last year to roughly 28 this year. He said the engine would also support expanded prescribed burning and fuels‑management work, which the agency has been cautious to scale up because most current response capability lacks onboard water and relies on volunteer departments that may need to return to local calls.
Mutual aid and revenue potential: Bilner noted Vermont is a member of a regional compact that enables cross‑boundary mutual assistance among New England states and nearby Canadian provinces. When Vermont sends qualified crews and equipment to other states for large incidents, agencies can bill for the deployed resources; Bilner said some states generate revenue by deploying engines under national incident assignments.
Storage and maintenance: the agency said it has indoor storage space in Essex Junction where the engine could be housed and lightly heated to prevent freeze‑related damage. Bilner estimated a service life of at least 10 years with maintenance and noted that out‑of‑state deployments would increase wear but could also help pay for maintenance through reimbursable assignments.
Next steps: Committee members asked technical questions about tank capacity, off‑road access and whether the governor had been asked for the vehicle in the agency’s executive budget; Albert Pearson said the appropriation did not make the agency’s original FY26 budget request but was added later through the House budget process. He said if the funding does not remain in the FY26 budget it could be requested again next year.
Ending: The committee took questions after the presentation and did not take a formal vote on the request during the hearing. Agency officials said they would provide additional details about maintenance, deployment policy and training as the budget process continues.
