Meanwhile, countless hundreds of ‘retired’ aircraft sit in California and Arizona deserts, any ten of which could be converted to water/fire-retardant dropping planes for next to nothing. Have them sitting in a hangar at Burbank airport until needed, and none of these very regular California wildfires would ever cause a problem again. These fires would be snuffed out before they even get going. But thanks to the firefighters union lobbying efforts, this never happens, and we get this devastation, every year, multiple times. But they’re ‘heroes’.
It costs money to get them flight-worthy, money to keep them that way, and money to convert them. Nobody is putting up the money, but they’ll accept a fire causing a hundred million dollars in damage.
Maybe they just like to be able to act surprised when fires break out.
Personally, I’d like to know whether the ecoweenies have been suing to stop controlled burns in the area. I heard some of the brush is 50 years old.
Don’t have any knowledge on the politics of the situation but I must agree the air assets employed should be increased.