Firefighting fill-up site upgraded for bigger helicopters

摘要

A water fill-up station in the mountains above Malibu is increasing capacity to handle larger firefighting helicopters that are being contracted to bolster Southern California fleets. The upgrade of the site called 69 Bravo follows a November test of a big CH-47 Chinook, a type of helitanker that can carry 3,000 gallons of water, significantly more than common types of water-dropping helicopters. The site in the Santa Monica Mountains has four self-replenishing 6,000-gallon rubber-vinyl water containers, known as "pumpkins," that are being replaced with 8,000-gallon metal containers, the city of Malibu said in a press release. "With the threat of the next big wildfire always looming over us in Malibu, it is heartening to see the impressive capabilities of Bravo 69 and the Chinook helitankers in place, close by and ready to respond to fires in our community," said Mayor Paul Grisanti.