747 Global Supertanker Grounded As California Braces For Another Nasty Wildfire Season
CBS Sacramento 2 hrs ago Syndicated Local – CBS Sacramento
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – When you see the massive 747 Global Supertanker in the sky, you know it means business. The largest tanker of its kind in the world is able to carry 19,200 gallons of water or 18,000 gallons of fire retardant on a single flight, but a spokesperson confirmed to CBS13 that the firefighting beast is now grounded.
“Well, it certainly is unfortunate. We would rather have that asset available like we have in the past,” said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Issac Sanchez.
The news comes following the worst wildfire season in California’s history with the most acres ever burned at more than 4.3 million. The Supertanker was used 119 times in 2020 just in California alone. The USDA Forest Service wouldn’t answer specific questions on the matter, but sent this statement to CBS13:
Powerful Winds Spark New Blazes in California’s Year-Round Fire ‘Season’ Warm winter weather and strong gusts have led to an early start for 2021’s fires, following a record-breaking year of blazes in 2020.
January 20, 2021
Unusually warm and dry conditions coupled with powerful wind gusts have ignited a spate of winter wildfires that call into question the idea that California has a “fire season” at all any more.
Residents of several communities in the Santa Cruz mountains were ordered to evacuate by the local sheriff’s office Tuesday morning as California’s fire agency, Cal Fire, responded to more than a dozen new vegetation fires across the area. Some of the fires were ignited when power lines were toppled by high winds; others were wind-driven reignitions of areas that burned in 2020, Cal Fire said. By midday Tuesday, six fires in the area were still burning.
Unusually warm and dry conditions coupled with powerful wind gusts have ignited a spate of winter wildfires that call into question the idea that California has a “fire season” at all anymore. Residents of several communities in the Santa Cruz mountains were ordered to evacuate by the local sheriff’s office Tuesday morning as California’s fire agency (Cal Fire) responded to at least 10 new vegetation fires across the area. Some of the fires were.