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Military Air Power Assists in Firefighting Efforts

The military in San Diego is helping fight the fire from the air today. Alison St John has more on why air resources were not deployed earlier to help douse the flames.

Military Air Power Assists in Firefighting Efforts

The military in San Diego is helping fight the fire from the air today. Alison St John has more on why air resources were not deployed earlier to help douse the flames. 

The Navy is coordinating with Cal Fire to deploy five Blackhawk helicopter from North Island to work the Harris Fire this afternoon. Four copters from Camp Pendleton are dropping water in the Ramona area. Marine Lt Colonel Chris Hughes says the aircraft could not deploy until Cal Fire was able to mobilize all important traffic control of the airspace over the fire

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Hughes: This is one of those extreme human endeavors not unlike combat, mistakes made managing that airspace could cost more lives on the ground than the fire is responsible for.

Cal Fire has what's called an "air attack ship"- an aircraft flying high above the fire scene, which is coordinating all 22 helicopters and six fixed wing aircraft currently working the fires.

Alison St John, KPBS News.