Tuesday, October 7, 2014

[californiadisasters] CalFire air tanker crashed over Dog Rock Fire, Yosemite official says



CalFire air tanker crashed over Dog Rock Fire, Yosemite official says

UPDATED 6:18 PM PDT Oct 07, 201

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. —CalFire officials said they lost contact with one of its air tankers that was flying over a Yosemite blaze Tuesday afternoon. 

The rapidly-spreading Dog Rock Fire has burned 130 acres. 

Yosemite National Park official Ashley Mayer said a plane that was battling the blaze crashed at 4:30 p.m. near Arch Rock.

CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant said the only person in the air tanker was the pilot. 

"We're still trying to determine all the vital details," Berlant said. "We have not been able to confirm anything via the radio with the pilot."

CalFire's Emergency Command Center spokesman told the Mariposa Gazette newspaper, "They are still trying to hike up to the crash site to identify (survivors or victims). They've got a big mess right now."

The airplane is an S-2T air tanker, which is flown by a single pilot and has no other crew members. The tanker uses twin turbine engines and is capable of carrying 1,200 gallons of fire retardant, Berlant said.

The fire began Tuesday afternoon near state Highway 140, which leads into the heart of the park. It forced the evacuation of several dozen homes near the community of Foresta and so far no structures have burned. 

Read more: http://www.ksbw.com/news/central-california/san-francisco-bay-area/calfire-airtanker-may-have-crashed-over-yosemite-wildfire/28998274#ixzz3FVtcbLKE

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Posted by: Kim Noyes <kimnoyes@gmail.com>


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