Wildfires

Local pilot shares insight into firefighting missions like those in LA

Lt. Morgan Hall of the Massachusetts Civil Air Patrol talks about the work being done to combat California's wildfires from the sky

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Amid the devastation and destruction, extraordinary work is being done to battle historic wildfires in Southern California. Help from the air has proven to be invaluable, as helicopters and specially-outfitted planes help the firefight.

"It is amazing," said Lt. Morgan Hall of the Massachusetts Civil Air Patrol.

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Hall would know — for six years, he flew fire missions while serving in the Marines based in San Diego and Hawaii.

"The actual picking up and dropping of water is really not that hard," he said. "The real struggle is when you try to get into tight, confined spaces, and the way the winds are — I mean, a firestorm creates its own weather pattern, so that on top of the Santa Ana winds really challenge those pilots."

Also joining the fight are the Canada-made "Super Scoopers" — planes designed to land on the ocean and scoop up hundreds of gallons of water.

"This is real flying, this isn't a pilot setting up the autopilot and going for a ride," said Mark Weinkrantz, a retired commercial and military pilot.

Weinkrantz says the planes can fly continuous operations for three to four hours, and the pilots some of the best in the business.

"This airplane was well-thought-out, and that is why it is not cheap — it is $30 million a copy," he said. "There is very little room for error."

As the battle to control these fires continue, all means necessary are being used to fight them.

"It is just an amazing machine and thankfully we have those assets at our disposal," said Hall. "My heart goes out to all those people there, it is tragic."

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