California needs more air power to fight wildfires

The year 2020 will be etched in history not only for the pandemic that swept the nation, but also for the devastating wildfire season California experienced that left hardly any region of the state untouched and set a record for the most acres burned in a single year at 4.1 million, leaving the Central Valley to struggle with harmful air pollution for dangerous periods of time.

Unfortunately, as we begin the new year with fires and public safety power shutoffs due to high winds that stretched from Los Angeles to the Central Valley and Bay Area, 2021 is on track to be yet another record-breaking year.

It’s well known that California has a history with destructive wildfires, which is why it’s home to some of the most advanced firefighting operations in the country through the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service. These organizations have an extensive fleet of firefighting aircraft and access to a large crew of trained local, state, federal and volunteer firefighters.

Read more on this story at the SacBee

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