2 California Air National Guard tankers to fight Arizona blaze
Two air tankers from the California Air National Guard are being sent from Colorado to fight the Yarnell Hill blaze in Arizona that has killed 19 firefighters and burned more than 8,000 acres.
The C-130s from the 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station had been sent to fight fires in Colorado.
Along with two similar craft from the Air Force Reserve at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, the California planes are being sent to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport in Mesa, Ariz. and will be ready by Wednesday night to begin drops, authorities said.
Each plane can drop 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant to cover an area a mile long and 100 feet wide. Once on the ground, a tanker can be refilled in 12 minutes.
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