Ryan Air Attack is a joint Air Attack / Helitack base operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ( Riverside Unit ) . It is one of 19 tanker bases strategically located throughout California . The base provides initial attack aircraft service to over of private , state , and federally owned lands . Up until 1998 , Ryan was statistically the busiest air tanker base in the United States delivering an average of 1.5 million gallons of retardant annually . Currently two S-2 Trackers , an OV-10 and a UH-1H are stationed at the base . The base has served as the primary air attack base for many wildfires , including the Old Fire and Cedar Fire in 2003 and the Esperanza Fire in 2006
Esperanza Fire
Esperanza Fire
Hemet-Ryan Airport