A 12-person team of Tennessee guardsmen has deployed to Louisiana in response to the largest wildfire in the state’s history.
Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters headed for Louisiana Monday morning after authorization from Gov. Bill Lee to support state and local emergency responders battling the Tiger Island wildfire burning in Beauregard Parish – which is located just north of Lake Charles and borders Texas.
The Tennessee National Guard says the troops are flying to Esler Regional Airport in Rapides Parish where they will be using Bambi Buckets, a specialized bucket system suspended from the helicopter, to deliver hundreds of gallons of water from the air to fight the wildfires. The Blackhawks will pick up water from nearby water sources and drop it directly on needed areas.
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