A Canadian firefighting aircraft sent to California to help extinguish massive wildfires has been grounded after it was struck by an unauthorized civilian drone, the LA County Fire Department (LAFD) says.
The CL-415, otherwise referred to as SuperScooper Quebec 1, is specially designed to collect 1,600 gallons of water from the ocean, in a matter of seconds, to then drop on raging fires.
Videos shared on X of the aircraft in action show the jet skimming the surface of the Pacific to take on water.
Cal Fire spokesperson Chris Thomas, told The War Zone, a defense news and analysis website, that the plane sustained damage around 10 a.m. PST on Thursday and remains out of service.
An image released of the aircraft by the LAFD shows a large circular gash in one of its components.
SuperScooper grounded after drone strike pic.twitter.com/a7ApxeNHm1
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) January 10, 2025
There were no reported injuries and the incident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Canada sends two CL-415 aircrafts to California from Quebec every year under an over three-decades-old agreement between state and provincial governments, according to reports by CTV News.
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On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X that Canada was deploying firefighters to help Californian authorities in extinguishing efforts.
“Canada is mobilizing to help fight the wildfires in southern California. Canadian water bombers are already in action. 250 firefighters are ready to deploy. The @CanadianForces are standing by to move personnel and equipment,” he wrote.
“To our American neighbours: Canada’s here to help,” the post concluded.
The Palisades Fire, the largest of five active blazes in Los Angeles, has scorched 20,000 acres of the affluent coastal neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades since it broke out on Jan. 7, destroying 5,000 structures thus far, according to multiple reports.
Four more fires, including the Eaton Fire, The Hurst Fire, The Lidia Fire and the Kenneth Fire continue to burn. The Eaton Fire is zero per cent contained, the remaining three are partially under control, according to The Guardian’s live update.
The death toll as a result of the wildfires is now ten, up from 7 as of 9:00 p.m. on Jan.9 according to the LA County medical examiner.
