VIDEO: As warm and dry conditions ramp up, California firefighters are gearing up for what could be another deadly summer.
And, as evident in the skies above the capital region, they aren’t the only ones preparing.
The Global SuperTanker, the world’s largest firefighting airplane, arrived at Sacramento’s McClellan Airport in late June, complete with its four pilots, to train in the region they’ll likely spend the next few months.
“The dots are starting to line up for another bad fire season,” said John Winder, chief operations officer for Global SuperTanker Services. The company is based out of Colorado Springs and contracts with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, among others in the U.S. and around the world.
Last year, the Boeing 747-400 jet modified released 1,327,478 gallons of fire retardant during 71 drops, according to Winder. It was brought in for the Camp Fire in Paradise and several others including the Ranch, Call, Front and Donnell fires.