In 2006 the DC10 was under evaluation, and dropped on six fires in California and one up north.
It was being flown by crews who had ample DC10 experience, but no fire experience, and therein lay the problem. It was supposed to have a much higher drop altitude; whereas the minimum drop height for a large air tanker is 200' (up to 400' depending on circumstances), the DC10 was originally supposed to have an 800' drop height. Not a lot of 800' trees...and drop height is measured not above the ground, but above the trees.