Two Canadian “Super Scoopers” landed at Van Nuys Air Tanker Base on Monday, just in time to be put to use in the Route Fire, still burning at presstime in Castaic.
The Canadair Bombadier CL-415 fixed wing aircraft are designed to scoop up water from local lakes or the ocean. It takes a plane approximately 12 seconds to skim 1,600 gallons into its tank.
This is the 29th year that the County of Los Angeles Fire Department has leased such planes from Quebec. This year with the drought-plagued fire season the planes may be kept operational for longer than their 90-day lease.
