Forest Meadows -
The stubborn Knight Fire burning East of Angels Camp is slowly being contained with the aid of three Sikorsky Sky Crane helicopters. The 5,000 acre wildfire in rugged terrain has been burning for nearly a week. Originally designed as cargo haulers for the military, the U-S Forest Service contracted helicopters are being used in steep canyons too dangerous for fixed wing tankers
A portable fire retardant plant was set up in the vacation and retirement community of Forest Meadows near it's golf course. From there, the turn around time to the remote fire is just ten minutes. The noisy choppers suck up 1,200 gallons of fire retardant or water from the adjacent pond in less than a minute. That's much faster than fixed wing tankers which are based at the nearby Columbia airport.
But the helicopters have a clear advantage in this type of fire.
""These can get into steep ridges and deep canyons where fixed wings can't slow down enough to get into," said Rocco Terracciano, the crew manager of one of the helicopters.
The helicopters are based in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Fresno. But they are considered national resources and are often sent to fires as far away as Florida and Montana.
As golfers played through on the golf course, visitor Charles Hazard took pictures as the huge helicopters hovered over the 6,000 gallon fire retardant tanks and sucked up it's load through a huge hose.
"Actually it's pretty exciting...to watch these guys is pretty impressive. These guys really know what they're doing," said Hazard.
The U.S. Forest Service can martial up to 20 helicopters from throughout the country in a big fire. The Knight fire is considered small by comparison.
A portable fire retardant plant was set up in the vacation and retirement community of Forest Meadows near it's golf course. From there, the turn around time to the remote fire is just ten minutes. The noisy choppers suck up 1,200 gallons of fire retardant or water from the adjacent pond in less than a minute. That's much faster than fixed wing tankers which are based at the nearby Columbia airport.
But the helicopters have a clear advantage in this type of fire.
""These can get into steep ridges and deep canyons where fixed wings can't slow down enough to get into," said Rocco Terracciano, the crew manager of one of the helicopters.
The helicopters are based in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Fresno. But they are considered national resources and are often sent to fires as far away as Florida and Montana.
As golfers played through on the golf course, visitor Charles Hazard took pictures as the huge helicopters hovered over the 6,000 gallon fire retardant tanks and sucked up it's load through a huge hose.
"Actually it's pretty exciting...to watch these guys is pretty impressive. These guys really know what they're doing," said Hazard.
The U.S. Forest Service can martial up to 20 helicopters from throughout the country in a big fire. The Knight fire is considered small by comparison.
