Legislators Approve 5 Firefighting Planes

Five more airplanes would be added to the state’s aerial firefighting force during the current fire season under a $1.5-million bill approved unanimously by the Legislature on Thursday and sent to Gov. George Deukmejian.

A second bill to beef up the state Department of Forestry’s air tanker squadron even more next year, however, was suddenly held up.

With the state’s most destructive fire season since 1977 only half over, Deukmejian has already indicated his support for the $1.5-million bill carried by Assemblywoman Lucy Killea (D-San Diego).

He has remained neutral, however, on Killea’s second bill, which calls for spending $1.2 million to refit as air tankers three surplus military airplanes by July, 1986.

Amendment Added

That bill was held up Thursday when the Senate Appropriations Committee, at a hastily called meeting, added a $10-million appropriation to it for the purchase of two Canadian-built airplanes called “super-scoopers.” The amendment was made over Killea’s opposition.

The measure is expected to be voted on in August, when senators return from a monthlong vacation. A Forestry Department spokeswoman said the department will urge Deukmejian to reject it.

The department and the U.S. Forest Service lease, own or contract for 47 air tankers in California.

Some legislators have long yearned to buy “super-scoopers,” touted for their ability to control fires with a sustained early attack.

The manufacturer says the planes are capable of flying a few hundred feet over a lake or ocean and scooping up to 1,400 gallons of water without landing.

The airplanes, manufactured and marketed by government-owned Canadair Ltd., are in use in Canada and in several Mediterranean countries, said Hedy Govenar, the firm’s Sacramento lobbyist.

Purchase Never Approved

Despite repeated attempts and intense lobbying, the California Legislature has never approved the purchase of any of the planes, which cost about $4.8 million each.

Maxine Jeffries, assistant to Forestry Director Jerry Partain, said the department conducted an “extensive evaluation” of the aircraft and determined that they are “not suitable for a broad range of uses we need.”

“They are significantly less cost-effective than the equipment that we use at this time,” Jeffries added.

But Govenar countered, “It is very difficult for us to appear cost-effective when you are competing with surplus military aircraft that you can get for a dollar.”

Fire officials in Los Angeles strongly criticized Canadair in 1979 for making “grossly exaggerated” claims after the aircraft was used, under a free demonstration contract, to help fight a destructive fire in Laurel Canyon.

Los Angeles County supervisors last week ordered a study of the feasibility of purchasing some of the planes for the county firefighting force.

Killea represents the Normal Heights area of San Diego, where

critics have said the hours-late arrival of air tankers contributed to $8.9 million in damage, including destruction of 67 homes, in a June 30 fire.

Meanwhile, seven counties in California--including Los Angeles and San Diego--were declared federal disaster areas Thursday. Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego) said he received a call from the White House telling him that the requested disaster status had been approved by President Reagan.

The declaration means that residents whose homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in recent brush fires may qualify for direct federal aid and low-interest federal loans.

Other counties receiving the designation were Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Monterey.

A spokeswoman for Lowery’s office said private assistance in the form of federal money is released only in cases where private insurance money is exhausted or someone was underinsured. Other forms of assistance are housing, temporary shelter, unemployment money and Small Business Administration disaster assistance.