Railroads in California, both privately operated freight lines and publicly supported  passenger rail cars and publicly funded infrastructure, have  become partners in wildfire response. Because rail corridors often run through remote mountain canyons and forested terrain where access is nonexistent or limited, railroads  developed specialized “fire trains” that are manned and equipped with water tanks, pumps, and high-pressure hoses to reach isolated terrain. These trains can move quickly on the track and spray water onto adjacent burning vegetation often in protected wildlife areas and federal and state parklands, while also protecting bridges, tunnels, and nearby communities while supporting firefighters working on the ground. A perfect partnership between rail and firefighters!  See Wildfire Prevention Is Union Pacific’s Priority as Summer Heats Up | Union Pacific

A good example of  supportive rail partners was the 2021 Dixie Fire, one of the largest wildfires in recent California history. During the incident, crews from Union Pacific Railroad/UP deployed a huge asset called a  firefighting train consisting of converted tank cars holding between 7,000 and 23,000 gallons of water each. Operating in the steep terrain of the Feather River Canyon in Northern California, the fire train sprayed water up to about seventy-five feet from the track to suppress flames and protect rail infrastructure ! Just imagine the effort to get comparable land-based water in those steep canyons. By controlling fires near bridges and tunnels, railroad crews helped prevent the diversion of CAL FIRE and other public resources away from other critical structures such as hospitals and schools.

Another recent example from the recent 2024 wildfire season was the Corral Fire, which burned more than 14,000 acres in San Joaquin County near Tracy. Although the fire was primarily fought by state and local agencies, railroads operating in the Central Valley coordinated closely with local fire departments and first responders. Planning for fire includes  routine monitoring of tracks, vegetation prevention along the rails, and  strategically locating water-trains for rapid response to nearby communities and rail corridors. Large fires like the Corral Fire and others illustrate why railroads maintain fire train capabilities along critical freight corridors crossing California’s dry landscape.

Private freight railroads such as BNSF Railway also maintain dedicated firefighting trains that can carry  thousands of gallons of water and fire retardant. These trains function as mobile firefighting platforms, sometimes transporting firefighters directly to remote stretches of track and spraying water along the right-of-way to halt advancing flames. Fire trains use demonstrates a growing partnership between government fire agencies and private rail operators, combining rail mobility with conventional fire crews, aircraft, and engines to slow wildfire spread in difficult terrain. When planning community emergency plans local public agencies can count on rail for the right help at the right time.

Finally, in 2025 in response to the devastating Los Angeles coastal fires, the Pacific Surfliner passenger train offered substantially reduced fares to fire victims in Southern and Central California. This was especially helpful to families who lost homes in these devastating fires who needed uninterrupted travel to temporary housing. Passenger rail to the rescue!