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Airport Expanded To House Massive Air Tanker During Fire Season

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Colorado Springs now houses one of the largest aircraft used to fight wildfires.

VLAT Retardant Drop (credit USDA)
VLAT (credit: USDA Forest Service)

Very large air tankers, also known as VLAT's, are capable of delivering 8,000 gallons of slurry to fires.

The massive DC10 will be at the Colorado Springs Airport through the fire season.

Right now, the closest VLAT bases are near Phoenix, Arizona and Roswell, New Mexico.

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