Two new helicopter dip tanks are operational in the rural hills west of Temecula, giving firefighting aircraft dedicated water sources near the De Luz, La Cresta and Santa Rosa Plateau communities.

Rancho California Water District completed the tanks at its Avocado Mesa and Via Vaquero pump stations using a $500,000 grant from Riverside County's Unincorporated Communities Initiative, the district announced Wednesday, Oct. 7. Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington championed the funding, which covered planning, construction and installation.

The announcement came one day after the Carancho Fire broke out around 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, near Carancho Road and Frens Road in the De Luz area. The blaze burned 35 acres and destroyed one structure before firefighters stopped its forward spread around 9:50 p.m., as Valley News reported. Two night-flying helicopters assisted roughly 120 personnel and 20 engines on that fire, according to MyNewsLA. No injuries were reported. As we reported Wednesday, the blaze burned in the same rural corridor the new dip tanks are built to serve.

The tanks are equipped with a remote fill trigger. A helicopter pilot can activate the trigger while en route to a fire, and the tank begins filling from the adjacent reservoir before the aircraft arrives. For rural areas far from urban water infrastructure, that feature can cut the time helicopters spend traveling to refill and allow more water drops during a fire's early, critical hours.

Rancho Water General Manager Jason Martin said the project reflects collaboration among the district, Riverside County and CAL FIRE, which helped identify locations accessible to helicopters.

"Wildfire preparedness is a shared responsibility, and these helicopter dip tanks are a great example of what we can accomplish when local agencies work together," Martin said at the Oct. 7 ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Riverside County awarded the grant in October 2025. At the time, Martin said the funding would support "lifesaving wildfire mitigation measures in one of our region's most vulnerable areas." The tanks were expected to be ready by 2026, and the district met that deadline.

The district is hosting a free open house Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to noon, weather permitting, at the Avocado Mesa Reservoir, 19265 Avocado Mesa Road, Murrieta. Residents can view one of the dip tanks and learn how the system supports wildfire response.

Residents with information about the Carancho Fire can contact the Riverside County Fire Department at 951-940-6900.