The Global Supertanker, an aircraft capable of carrying 20,000 gallons of water to fight wildfires, drops its payload near the Grant County International Airport. While the project was eventually closed down and the plane converted for another purpose, Washington Rep. Tom Dent and former Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz said they hope such aircraft are eventually available despite the economic factors associated with them.
July 12, 2025
Stories this photo appears in:
Dent, Franz say bipartisan support led to progress in WA wildfire response
MOSES LAKE – Getting anything done in politics takes solid relationships and the ability to reach across political divides, regardless of how partisan the overall conversation is. Former Washington Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, a Democrat, and local State Representative Tom Dent, a Republican, and their successes in advancing wildfire management are a prime example of that, they say. “Everything, from what I learned and how quickly we were able to make the changes and get results, is based on relationships,” Franz said in a late June interview. “It’s based on valuing other people’s opinions and their experience and their expertise.”