Super Scooper firefighting planes return to LA

DOUGLAS MORRISON, L.A. County Fire Department

Two Super Scooper airplanes, Bombardier CL-415, are on lease to Los Angeles County Fire Department through November 2012.

September brings heightened fire danger, so it’s the time of year when Los Angeles County brings in two Super Scooper airplanes.

The bright yellow and red-painted planes can scoop up a load of 1,600 gallons of water into their bellies while skimming a lake, then drop it onto brush fires. They can land on land or water.

This is the 19th year the county has the leased water-dropping planes. They cost $2.75 million for three months.

This year’s models come from a fire department in Quebec, Canada.

The Bombardier CL-415s will be in the county through November. They are based at Van Nuys Airport and augment the county’s fleet of ten helicopters.