As the massive blaze surged into Santa Rosa, consuming virtually every structure in its path, authorities scrambled to get firefighting resources into place.
While Sonoma County emergency services and fire departments helped residents evacuate and did what they could to stop the spreading fire, the first helicopter to perform nighttime drops against the conflagration swooped in the following night — and came from 300 miles away.
The Kern County Fire Department, as part of California's mutual aid system, sent one of its night-equipped helicopters to assist in the devastating Tubbs Fire, which ultimately killed dozens of people and burned 110,720 acres as it swept across Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties last month.