As several western U.S. states prepare for the upcoming wildfire season, government agencies receive word that the world's largest fire-fighting aircraft operated by an American company will be grounded.
According to the Associated Press reported on the 23rd, this aircraft is called "global super fire extinguishing aircraft". The investment group that owns the plane sent letters to colorado, Oregon, Washington state and federal government officials earlier this week informing them of the grounding.
Washington state government spokesman Tara Lee said on the 23rd that the state department of natural resources has received the news. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has yet to respond to the impact the grounding of the aircraft will have on the state's ability to respond to forest fires.
The US Global Super Fire Extinguishing Aircraft Service Company, which operates the aircraft, declined to comment on the grounding on the 23rd.
The Global Super Fire Extinguishing Aircraft is a modified Boeing 747 aircraft that can pour up to about 72,680 liters of water or flame retardant in 6 seconds, with a minimum operating height of about 61 meters, and can be filled with water or flame retardants in 13 minutes.
The plane has been instrumental in several forest fires in the western United States, and has been on missions to Israel in 2016 and Chile in 2017. The cost of the aircraft can be up to $250,000 a day. (Guo Qian) [Xinhua News Agency Micro Feature]
Source: Xinhua Net