Private contract fire equipment

[Aaronw]

[size=4]After looking closely, this unit is a "Wildfire Protection Unit" owned by AIG Insurance.

This is a fairly recent development, the idea being insurance companies provide equipment to specifically target policy holders property. There was some concern initially that they would be freelance rogue units wandering about the fire line without direction or accountability. I haven't personally run across this situation yet, but understand in practice they are falling into the overall plan and going where the fire command lets them go. Basically just extra equipment that is somewhat self directed (assume they can insist on working where they have policy holders).

Similar issues occasionally come up with large property owners who have some of their own equipment, often dozers or small brush trucks from their normal operations. In these situations the team usually works them into the plan for accountability but leaves the specifics to them. It is politically difficult to tell a (probably wealthy and well connected) land owner they can't protect their own property.