Wildland Fire Engine Added To Newport Beach Fire Department's Fleet

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — The Newport Beach Fire Department unveiled a new fire engine Saturday that will help the agency be better equipped to respond to blazes in wildland areas.

The department's wildland fire engine has better off-road capabilities compared to typical fire engines and trucks, Newport Beach officials said. The engine's four-wheel drive, higher clearance and shorter wheelbase allow it to better maneuver through off-road terrian.

"This specialized piece of equipment will improve our wildland firefighting capabilities by allowing our firefighters to navigate challenging terrain and off-road areas that are inaccessible to standard engines," Fire Chief Jeff Boyles said.

The fire engine will primarily be used along the Newport Coast area but can be sent to neighboring areas as needed, city officials said.

Newport Beach officials said it initially set out to buy a wildland fire engine in 2019, but supply-chain issues brought on by the pandemic delayed things for two years.