LANCASTER — The two yellow-and-red Super Scooper airplanes parked at Gen. William J. Fox Airfield belong to Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings LLC, a veteran-owned aerial firefighting operation under contract with the US Forest Service to fight raging wildfires in California.
The aircraft arrived in the Antelope Valley about a week ago. So far, they have assisted with the Emigrant Fire that broke out Friday afternoon along Interstate 5 near Castaic. They also assisted with the Windy Fire, which is burning on the Tule River Indian Reservation and in Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County.
The $30 million purpose-built aircraft can carry 1,412 gallons of water scooped up from existing water sources. With California in the midst of a severe drought, finding suitable water sources can be tricky.
Read more on this story at the Antelope Valley Press
