What It’s Like Inside A Waterbomber

“Tanker 47 rears up as helicopter pilot Darren Davies settles it to hover over the Encino Reservoir, a half-mile-wide artificial lake perched on the shoulder of a hill overlooking the San Fernando Valley. He holds steady a dozen feet over the water as the flight mechanic in back, John Trivellin, lowers a 23-foot-long retractable snorkel into the reservoir.” Read the full story here in the Intelligencer from New York Magazine… https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/helicopter-pilots-waterbombing-palisades-fire.html

USAF C-130’s On Fire Duty

“U.S. Northern Command immediately took action as we watched and learned more about the fires in the Los Angeles area,” Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of NORTHCOM, said in the release. “Providing support to civil authorities is a valued part of our homeland defense mission.” January 13, 2025