How firefighting planes refill their water tanks?

Some firefighting aircraft can refill their tanks in mid-flight, by flying down to skim the surface of large bodies of water. One example is the Bombardier CL-415. This is particularly useful in rural areas where flying back to an airbase for refills may take too much time.

Do firefighters use water to put out wildfires?

The most common method is to use water to put out the fire. Water also smothers the fire, taking away oxygen. Some firefighters use foam as an alternative to water. Fire extinguishers also use foam to fight fires.

How many gallons does a firefighting plane hold?

After the aircraft were retired from the Navy, they were transformed into firefighting aerial tankers. The aircraft can carry 7,200 gallons of water or retardant and their drop can cover an area of up to 4 acres.

What do they call a fire that has burned more than 100k acres of land?

“Megafires,” as some experts call them, are fires larger than 100,000 acres and used to seldom occur but now are becoming more and more of a regular event.

How does the 747 SuperTanker filled up with water?

In locations around the world that commonly use large and very large air tankers, a hose is simply connected to the aircraft that supplies retardant or water to fill the tanks. An airport crash-rescue truck pumped from the tanks through two hoses to the 747 SuperTanker.

How much fire retardant does a 747 hold?

Most large air tankers carry up to 3,000 gallons of retardant. The 747 is capable of carrying far more retardant than any other. When first introduced it was listed at 20,000 gallons. Then the federal government certified it at 19,200 gallons.

Can you extinguish fire with fire?

Fire can be used to fight forest fires, albeit with a certain amount of risk. A controlled burn of a strip of forest will create a barrier to an oncoming forest fire as it will use up all the available fuel.

What started the Dixie fire?

Exceptional drought and searing heat exacerbated by climate change helped to fuel the monstrous inferno. For two months, the Dixie Fire has menaced Northern California — stripping forests, forcing thousands from their homes and swallowing most of a Gold Rush-era community. More than 1,300 structures have been leveled.

What caused the Dixie fire?

The cause remains under investigation, but PG&E previously said its equipment may have been the source of the blaze after a worker in the Feather River Canyon area reported two blown fuses and a tree leaning into a power line conductor on July 13, the date the fire started.

Is the Boeing 747 Supertanker 944 the world’s best firefighting aircraft?

The 747 Supertanker seen in happier times, at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel in 2016. Regardless, anyone who does decide to buy Tanker 944 for firefighting will have themselves an aircraft of superlatives. “The 747 SuperTanker has by far the largest fire-retardant capacity of any firefighting air tanker,” Gabbert confirmed.

Why has the Boeing 747 Supertanker been grounded?

The unique Boeing 747 Supertanker has been grounded, for the time being at least, after the investment group that owns the single aircraft decided to cease its operations. The story was first reported earlier today by the authoritative Fire Aviation website.

What is the largest fire retardant capacity of an air tanker?

“The 747 SuperTanker has by far the largest fire-retardant capacity of any firefighting air tanker,” Gabbert confirmed. Even though its retardant capacity has been steadily trimmed down from the originally specified 20,000 gallons to the current 17,500 gallons, there is still no other air tanker that comes close.

How are firefighters fighting the wildfires in California?

Cal Fire firefighters have been battling some of the largest fires in California’s history. About 2.2 million acres have been blackened. A fleet of specially equipped firefighting aircraft help fire crews on the ground. Tankers Recon How California uses dozens of aircraft to battle wildfires