Ground Assets

CAL FIRE equipment and apparatus use a standardized, unit-based numbering system to identify specific vehicles and their home bases. Generally, the system uses a 4-digit number: the first two digits signify the unit (e.g., SKU for Siskiyou, AEU for Amador-El Dorado), the third digit identifies the specific station, and the final digit indicates the apparatus type (e.g., Engine, Dozer, Crew). 

Key Components of the Numbering System:

• Unit Identifier: The first 2-3 digits/letters represent the specific CAL FIRE administrative unit or ranger unit, such as LNU (Sonoma-Lake-Napa) or TCU (Tuolumne-Calaveras).

• Station Number: The next digit often indicates the specific fire station within that unit.

• Apparatus/Resource Type: The final digits (or letter in strike team designations) indicate the type of equipment, such as Type 1 or Type 3 Engines.

• Strike Teams: Involves an alphanumeric system (e.g., XSA 4155C), identifying the Operational Area (XSA), Mutual Aid Region (4), Sequence Number (155), and Type (C).

• Wildfire Numbering: During large events, individual fires are often numbered based on the battalion (e.g., "5-3 fire" for the third fire in Battalion 5).