Arrival of Firefighting Planes Delayed

Arrival of Firefighting Planes Delayed:

"It's a question of time, money and where the fires are most dangerous. CAL FIRE says its yearly decision on where to put fire attack planes and crews depends on conditions and how many aircraft are ready to fly.

Southern California bases are usually the first to see staffing with contract pilots to fly CAL FIRE's tanker and attack aircraft. The fire season usually starts first in the south, then moves to central California. This year, that means the attack base at Grass Valley and others in Northern California won't see planes and pilots before June 15.

"In a perfect world, we'd have a fleet of aircraft standing by all the time," said Matt Streck of CAL FIRE's Grass Valley attack base. But he quickly added that the yearly toll on planes from wear and tear means extensive maintenance and that planes can't be everywhere all the time.

In record-dry Nevada County that means homeowners and those using the outdoors must be extra careful, especially during this upcoming holiday weekend. Joan Drummond of the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County says, "The fuel load that is standing out here, the brush, the other standing vegetation is essentially bone dry."

She warns homeowners to clear defensible space, to do yard work early to avoid sparks that could touch off a fire.

CAL FIRE said air attack bases in central California open Wednesday, putting resources much closer to the northern part of the state."