Aircraft battle flames in Brazil
After wildfires broke out in the Chapada Diamantina National Park in November, the Brazilian Air Force sent planes and crews to fight the flames.
Image: Firefighters board a C-105 for a flight to Lençóis (Brazilian Air Force)
After wildfires broke out in the Chapada Diamantina National Park in November, the Brazilian Air Force sent planes and crews to fight the flames. By 21 November, the fires had swept over more than 30,000 hectares and the Air Force response saw the planes drop more than 250,000 litres (55,000 gallons) of water. A C-130 Hercules plane dropped 60,000 litres (13,000 gallons) of water in Morro Branco and Barro Branco on 21 November alone.
Starting on 20 November, an H-36 Caracal helicopter performed shuttle flights to take personnel to remote areas. Pilot Milon Alves commented that the aircraft’s power enables it to carry 28 passengers and land in a wide range of locations. On 21 November, an Air Force C-105 Amazonas plane flew 44 firefighters to the base of operations in Lençóis.
Eugênio Spengler, environment secretary for the state of Bahia, said that the arrival of the aircraft had allowed firefighting forces to streamline their efforts.