Texas Native Pilots 747 Supertanker - The Wildland Firefighter

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Valdez began firefighting as a teen

(FOX4 News)

FORT WORTH (FOX4 News) – A Fort Worth man is helping out by flying above the flames of the historic California wildfires.

Marcos Valdez has been in California piloting a 747 jet that gets so close to the fires, the distance between the plane and the trees is less than its wingspan.

The job is the culmination of a passion he’s had since he was a teenager. The “fire bomber” pilot was a volunteer firefighter for Denton and Ranger, Texas when he was in high school and college. He then went on to become a pilot, flying 747s.

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Valdez began firefighting as a teen FORT WORTH (FOX4 News) – A Fort Worth man is helping out by flying above the flames of the historic California wildfires. Marcos Valdez has been in California piloting a 747 jet that gets so close to the fires, the distance between the plane and the trees […]

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