ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — The Orange County Fire Authority and U.S. Forest Service are battling over accusations that USFS policies grounded an elite aerial unit during major fires and left the Cleveland National Forest susceptible to the recent Airport blaze that torched 23,526 acres.
The recriminations have caught the attention of Southern California congressional members who want answers from Forest Service officials.
One point of contention involves the Southern California-based Quick Reaction Force, a squad of night-flying, converted military helicopters that can fly in the dark and each drop 3,000 gallons of water and fire retardant.
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