ANTONOVICH APPLAUDS FEDERAL EFFORT TO REPEAL FOREST SERVICE'S BAN ON NIGHTTIME AERIAL FIREFIGHTING

 

 

 

       

 

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:  Tony Bell, Communications Deputy Office:     (213) 974-5555  Cell: (213) 215-5176 E-mail:     tbell@bos.lacounty.gov

 April 1, 2010                                                                                 For Immediate Release

 

ANTONOVICH APPLAUDS FEDERAL EFFORT TO REPEAL FOREST SERVICE’S BAN on nighttime aerial firefighting

  

LOS ANGELES COUNTY –  Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich praised legislation by  Rep. Adam Schiff requiring the U.S. Forest Service to lift a decades-old ban on nighttime aerial firefighting.

 “The Forest Service’s flawed policy prevented the early extinguishment of the recent Station Fire,” said Supervisor Antonovich.  “As aircraft sat idling on the tarmac, the fire grew out of control -- taking the lives of two firefighters, burning over 160,000 acres and destroying over 100 homes and structures.”

 

In a series of letters to Federal officials and a motion unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors in the days and weeks during and after the fire, Supervisor Antonovich called for a Congressional investigation into the Forest Service actions, the repealing of the policy banning nighttime flights, the adoption of a 200-foot brush clearance requirement, the use of mechanized clearance equipment and shifting incident command from Washington D.C. to personnel on the ground.

 

 

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