Minnesota DNR Switching to New Firefighting Planes [VIDEO]

St Paul, MN (KROC AM News) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is getting some new gear for fighting wildfires.

State officials are showing off a new firefighting aircraft that will be put to use this season. The FireBoss is a turbine powered single-engine tanker with floats that is manufactured by the FireBoss Company of South St. Paul and the Air Traktor Corporation of Texas.

The DNR will contract with Aero Spray of Appleton, which will maintain and operate four of the FireBoss Aircraft from airports around Minnesota.

Minnesota previously used two piston-engine Canadair CL-215 aircraft to battle wildfires.