Supervisor Mike Antonovich will ask his colleagues Tuesday to ratify a state of emergency in response to the massive Sand Fire burning in the Santa Clarita area, and he will call for a review of the county’s aerial fire-fighting apparatus in light of the ever-expanding fire season.
An emergency declaration by the Board of Supervisors is the first step in obtaining state funding to help cover the costs of the fire, including efforts to rebuild homes and businesses damaged or destroyed by the blaze, Antonovich said. The county informally proclaimed the local emergency today, but it must be ratified by the board.
But Antonovich said he also wants to have a discussion with fire officials about the sufficiency of the county’s fleet of water-dropping aircraft.
The county annually leases SuperScooper aircraft from Canada during the fire season, but Antonovich noted that wildfires have become a year-round threat, thanks in particular to the five-year drought. The leased SuperScoopers are expected to arrive next month, but Antonovich said the county may need to explore options for having at least one available year-round.
He plans to introduce a motion Tuesday calling for a discussion of whether the county can expand its lease with the Canadian government or explore purchasing its own SuperScooper or other type of aircraft.
Fire officials have said the Southland already has one of the largest fleets of firefighting aircraft in the country, and about two dozen aircraft are being used to battle the Sand Fire. But Antonovich said the county can always use more.
—City news Service