How to Spec a Wildland Brush Truck for Your Department

A wildland brush truck is the hardest-working rig in most rural fleets — and one of the easiest to get wrong. Spec it too light and it won’t survive the terrain. Spec it too heavy and you lose the maneuverability that makes a brush truck worth having. Here’s how we walk departments through the process.

Start with the mission, not the truck

Before you look at a single chassis, answer three questions: What ground do you actually cover — section-line trails, river bottom, CRP grass? How far is your water resupply? And how many firefighters ride the truck on a typical call? Those three answers drive nearly every decision that follows.

Chassis: F-550, Ram 5500, or bigger

Most of our wildland builds ride on a Ford F-550 4×4 or Ram 5500 chassis. Both carry a 300–350 gallon tank, pump, and crew equipment with weight to spare, and both stay narrow enough to work a two-track trail. If your district demands more water, that’s usually the point to look at a Type 3 or a tanker to shuttle behind your brush trucks rather than overloading the attack rig itself.

Tank and pump: match them to your resupply

A 300 gallon copolymer poly tank is the sweet spot for most departments — corrosion-proof, lighter than steel, and carrying a lifetime warranty. Pair it with a high-pressure pump for a fog attack that stretches every gallon in grass and brush. If you make long runs between refills, look hard at foam capability: a small foam system can effectively multiply your tank.

The details that matter at 2 a.m.

• Crosswalk: a walkway through the body lets a firefighter work either side of the truck without dismounting.
• Compartments: spec them around your actual equipment list — hand tools, chainsaw, drip torch, medical bag.
• Ground clearance and approach angles: skid plates and properly routed plumbing keep a creek crossing from ending your fire season.
• Lighting and scene power: most brush truck work happens after dark.

Budget honestly — then build once

The cheapest truck is the one you only buy once. A purpose-built rig that fits your district will outlast — and outperform — a bargain build that fights you every shift. Every Heiman wildland unit is custom built in Sioux Falls to your spec, and we’ve been doing it since 1999.

Ready to start a spec sheet? See our wildland build options or talk to the sales consultant for your territory.