Again, the Scooper Comes On Strong : Despite high winds, the water-dumping planes perform well in Malibu brush fire

A strong performance by two “Super Scoopers” in combatting a fast-moving Malibu brush fire Thursday, amid dangerous wind, again shows that Los Angeles County’s leasing of the two Canadian-built planes is money well spent.

Use of the CL-215s for the fire season is setting the county back about $719,000 (which includes two crews and mechanics), plus $550 for every hour in the air. However, relieved Malibu residents would surely agree the price is right. So, too, would some residents of the City of Industry, where last month the amphibious planes helped knock down flames that threatened homes.

Los Angeles has been fortunate this year. Because of favorable weather, including early rainfall, firefighters have had fewer big blazes to combat. In 1993, fire charred 17,000 acres and destroyed 323 homes in Malibu. Conflagrations also devastated Altadena and Laguna Beach.

For a time Thursday, 50-m.p.h. gusts threatened to create another inferno. However, a swift response by firefighters, aided by seven water-dropping helicopters and the Super Scoopers, spared as many as 50 homes in the area of Pacific Coast Highway and Latigo Canyon Road.

Critics point out that strong winds forced the water-dumping planes to higher altitudes, preventing them from scoring direct hits on the advancing flames. While this is true, fire experts point out the aircraft still played a key role in the early stages of the brush fire.

Of course, firefighting equipment has its limitations, especially in rugged terrain. As any pilot will attest, gusting winds hamper fixed-wing aircraft, the CL-215 included. Even so, these water-gulping planes have demonstrated their capability in fighting fires for more than two decades in Canada and California. When public officials had the courage to spend money on the technology, they have not been disappointed. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors made the right choice this fire season. Sounds like a plan.