Winds Fuel Northern California Fires
Unusually windy conditions in Northern California are keeping state firefighters busy this week. From Sacramento, here's Jenny O'Mara.
From the Santa Cruz Mountains last month to Northern and Central California this week, state firefighters are at work. Cal Fire Spokesman Daniel Berlant says the windy conditions in Northern California have come earlier than usual; he says they're usually seen in July or August.
Berlant: "Well the wind has definitely been an issue but we have activated our DC 10 air tanker and we will have it ready to go in case in the next couple of days a large fire does pop up in the Northern California area it will be ready to go with a large drop and help our ground crews contain the fire."
That DC 10 is a modified passenger plan that drops tons of water or fire retardant. Cal Fire began hiring seasonal workers and opened its air base last month; that usually happens in June. Dry conditions are reported all over the state.
