Ford has provided Broncos in the form of an emergency vehicle for all kinds of services for decades. One of the more famous is the US Forest Service with their striking green SUVs. With that in mind, the company, together with outdoor gear manufacturer Filson, has put together this 2021 Ford Bronco Wildland Fire Rig Concept. In addition to being a cool concept that combines flashy showpieces with functional equipment, it also serves as a model for what the two fire-equipped Broncos donated to the US Forest Service will look like.
This Bronco concept started as a Bronco Badlands with the Sasquatch pack. From there, Ford has added the modular steel bumper and Warn winch that will be available to Bronco customers. It also has a custom grille and a roof rack with Rigid Industries LED lighting. Of course everything is finished in the light green and white used by the Forest Service.
Inside is a mix of quality materials and serious equipment. At the rear, a Kimtek fire extinguisher is equipped with a 50 gallon water tank, high pressure pump and hose. Other equipment includes a shovel, axes, chainsaw, hardhats, lifting jack and trickle torch. The soft top is made of fireproof nylon and can be rolled up and fastened with Filson bridle leather straps. The chairs have black quilted leather with green canvas panels on the sides. The canvas also appears on the door supports and armrests. The handles are painted in matching green. The final finishing touch is a brass Bronco logo on the handlebar.
As previously mentioned, Ford is donating two four-door Broncos for use as forest firefighting vehicles based on this concept (although with probably more functional and pedestrian interiors). This is part of Ford’s wider initiative, the Bronco Wild Fund. It is an endowment that the National Forest Foundation and Outward Bound USA will fund to assist with reforestation efforts and education about the conservation of rural areas and enjoying them safely. The endowment will be funded through a portion of the proceeds from Bronco vehicles and Ford merchandise, with the goal of raising $ 5 million per year to keep it. The organization also plans to plant 1 million trees by the end of 2021.
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