Firefighters have called in the world’s largest air tanker to help pound the still-raging Camp Fire as it burns through the Paradise area of Northern California.
The Global SuperTanker, a converted 747, on Sunday morning joined the aerial firefight against what is now California’s most devastating wildfire. Several other large airtankers flying from nearby Sacramento McCllellan Airport were also dropping red retardant on the fire’s northeast end, where it is burning most actively after a windy night.
Cal Fire forecaster Alex Hoon told firefighters Sunday morning to expect gusty winds through the day — up to 45 to 50 miles per hour.
"As we get into the later morning hours, you’re going to start seeing those winds beginning to surface and push into some of these divisions closer to the Highway 99 corridor," he said, referencing the primary highway in the fire area. "Today is a critical fire weather day. There’s going to be a lot of shifting winds, dry conditions."
Winds and heavy smoke have severely limited the amount of time air tankers have been able to fight the fire, which is responsible for at least 23 deaths and the destruction of at least 6,543 homes and hundreds of businesses and other commercial structures in the 27,000-resident mountain town of Paradise, which has largely been destroyed.
The fire has sent a massive plume of smoke across Northern California, limiting visibility and forcing many residents to remain indoors.
