After retardant drops, what is typically required for follow-up operations?

After retardant drops, ground resources are typically required for follow-up operations to ensure effective fire management. The use of ground resources, such as fire crews, engines, and other firefighting equipment, is essential for mopping up and securing the perimeter of the fire, as well as for assessing the effectiveness of the retardant application. Ground personnel are crucial to directly evaluate whether the retardant has impacted the fire's behavior and to take further actions to prevent flare-ups or re-ignition of hotspots.

Air support can be beneficial in some scenarios, particularly for monitoring the fire's activity from above or conducting additional drops if needed. However, the immediate follow-up work usually necessitates hands-on labor and inspection that only ground resources can provide. Additional fuel is not a requirement following retardant drops as it would be counterproductive in managing a fire. Heavy equipment may also be useful in some circumstances, but the primary need after retardant application is often the rapid deployment of personnel to reinforce the containment lines and ensure the situation is safely managed.