Report Ordered on Moving Air Guard
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors ordered fire officials Tuesday to prepare a report on the feasibility of stationing planes capable of dumping fire-retardant chemicals at Van Nuys Airport.
Without discussion, the board ordered the report at the request of Supervisor Mike Antonovich, whose district includes Altadena, where more than 100 houses were destroyed in a fire that began last Wednesday.
Pending completion of the report, the supervisors delayed until Nov. 16 a decision on whether to ask Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) to press the Pentagon to support such a move.
The suggestion drew criticism from San Fernando Valley homeowners, airport management and the Air National Guard, which transferred the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing and its firefighting planes from Van Nuys to a brand-new, $64-million base in Ventura County three years ago, after its 40-year lease at Van Nuys expired.
An Air Guard spokesman said moving back to Van Nuys would improve its response to fires in the Valley area by no more than 10 minutes.
But Antonovich earlier this week said it makes sense to keep the planes as close as possible to respond to fires.
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