It’s that time of year when residents of Los Angeles County welcome the SuperScoopers from Canada to battle wildfires, backed up by Helitanker 55 copters that are part of Southern California’s Quick Reaction Force.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone hosted a media day on Monday, Sep. 9, to provide an update on the 2024 wildfire season and to show off the big aircrafts that can save homes and communities.
Public Information Office Fire Captain Sheila Kelliher says the county has two SuperScoopers and three helitankers ready to go. “Quebec provides SuperScoopers … and our relationship is very important. We have had it for many years.”
With fire season seemingly “with us always” their partnerships are crucial, Kelliher said. “To fight those fires we have the help of the SuperScoopers. And our Coulson helitankers make a huge difference on the brush fires by getting them out quickly.” The helitankers can hover over lakes to suck up 3,000 gallons of water in just 90 seconds.
“The Santa Ana winds start in October and November and we have a real problem if there is a lot of dry brush,” Kelliher explained. “We’ve had temperatures of more than 100, so the moisture we had from the rains has dried up in the grasses by now.”
Firefighters call that dry brush “light flashy fuel.”
For 31 years, LACoFD has leased a pair of CL-415 SuperScoopers from the government of Québec, and on Sunday, Sept. 1 the two SuperScoopers were back in Los Angeles. A week later at the Monday event, the department also displayed a Coulson Group Chinook CH-47, or Helitanker 55.
Fire officials urged the public to read the Ready! Set! Go! brochure that explains “defensible space around your home, retrofitting your home with fire-resistant materials, and preparing you to safely evacuate well ahead of a wildfire.”
