A message from Board member and Acting Museum Manager, Jan Newman… Last Thursday when I got home from relocating one of the museums old engines I was was shocked and saddened to see a long time friend and colleague Steve Huntington had passed away. As many of you know Steve was an avid collector of…

UPDATE Summer 2023: We have re-started a gift shop page with limited availability. Please visit our new Squaresite https://calfirehistory.square.site/ to see our offerings. As we struggle with limited personnel/staff to process orders, we expect to make our existing inventory of tee shirts available soon. We also still use PayPal for ongoing donations. For questions/comments, contact…

Our patience has been rewarded. The first batch of 27 film submissions to the California Revealed digitization grant have finally been published and are available online. Click Here to browse the entire collection First and Foremost, it includes a complete full length edition of the classic CDF produced film, “Countdown To Calamity” scanned from a…

Research compiled by Elizabeth Groom There is a not very well documented history of women working in suppression for CDF much earlier than the stories of the female pioneers of the 70s. I’ve found several stories of women working for CDF in the 40s, not just as lookouts and dispatchers, and not just as volunteers.…

Well, its almost the end of June, and I expected to have news to report about the CDF/CalFire Museum’s 2019 submissions to the State Library film digitization project by now. Although we were able to turn in all our materials in February before the coronavirus shutdowns hit, nothing moved any further in the work chain…

The CDF Model #5 engine was the workhorse of the fleet for many years. With 4WD capability a 300GPM pump and 85GPM auxiliary pump, it enabled the driver to pump-and-roll either with a firefighting crew on foot, or while seated in the rear crew compartment. Equipped with a 500 gallon tank, a minimum of 1300…

Due to limited staff, and our concern for the health and well being of both the first responders who serve us, their families and the general public, the museum facility at the San Bernardino offices will be closed to the pubic until further notice. We will continue to update this website, our newsletter and other…

Who are we? Where did we come from? How did we get here? In 1980, the CDF produced a 20 minute training and orientation slide sync program describing the basic functions and responsibilities of the California Department of Forestry. Prior to the creation of the State’s JAC apprenticeship program, most Department training was hands-on, individually…

Unearthed at the museum today: from the October Activities section, 1956 State newsletter mentioning “recent” developments in the State’s air program:   “Following intensive use of seven “aerial tankers” (converted agricultural crop-dusting aircraft) on fires during this season, a three-day conference was held at Willows airport for evaluation purposes. This is a joint project with…