747 SuperTanker activated on CAL FIRE CWN contract

747 Palmer Fire supertanker

In the file photo above, Air Tanker 944, a 747-400, drops near structures on the Palmer Fire south of Yucaipa, California at 4:25 p.m. PDT September 2, 2017. Photo by Leroy Leggitt, used with permission.

CAL FIRE activated the 747 SuperTanker today, July 7, on a Call When Needed  (CWN) contract after it was carded by the agency. The aircraft has been hung up in the annual recertification process this year due to a required software addition. The approval, or carding, is temporary, pending resolution of the data software issue which helps track systems on the air tanker. The issue is not related to the actual retardant delivery system.

In addition to the CWN contract with CAL FIRE, GlobalSupertanker also has contracts with the states of Colorado and Oregon.

As this is written at  6:50 p.m. PDT July 7, Tanker 944 had just received a launch order and is en route to the Klamathon Fire on the Oregon/California state line.

Klamathon Fire burns into Hornbrook, California, closes I-5

Klamathon Fire

(Above: CHP photo)

(UPDATED at 12:37 p.m. PDT July 6, 2018)

From KOBI5:

A civilian has died due to the Klamathon Fire, CAL FIRE reported Friday morning. The identification of the person will be released after further investigation and notification of next-of-kin. No further information was released.

(UPDATED at 7 a.m. PDT July 6, 2018)

CAL FIRE reported at 6 a.m. MDT Friday that the Klamathon Fire along Interstate 5 just south of the Oregon border is now 8,000 acres with “multiple structures threatened and damaged or destroyed”. Evacuation orders are in effect.

The California Highway Patrol is now escorting traffic on Interstate 5 through the burned area.

(Originally published at 3:35 a.m. PDT July 6, 2018)

The Klamathon Fire that started Thursday afternoon under windy conditions in northern California spread very quickly into the small community of Hornbrook. Burning on both sides of Interstate 5 it kept going north at least another seven miles to another small town, Hilt, which is about a mile south of the Oregon border.

CAL FIRE said approximately 5,000 acres and multiple structures have burned.

Interstate 5, the major thoroughfare connecting California and Oregon, was closed Thursday night between Yreka, CA and Ashland, OR.

Klamathon Fire
Klamathon Fire, Friday night. CHP photo.
Klamathon Fire
Klamathon Fire, Friday night. CHP photo.

While the fire was growing quickly Thursday afternoon a 20 to 26 mph south wind was pushing it along the Interstate. By midnight the wind slowed to just a few miles per hour and that trend is predicted to continue Friday, but the relative humidity will still be low, around 15 percent. This should slow the spread somewhat, but now firefighters have thousands of acres of fire to contend with.

map Klamathon fire
Map showing the approximate location of the Klamathon Fire at 11:41 p.m. PDT July 5, 2018. The red dots are the most current. We hope to replace this with a better map when it becomes available.

There are no details yet about the extent of damage in the communities, but the early indications are that it could be severe.