Helicopter on the Palmer Fire

We had an exciting afternoon yesterday. I worked on the laptop while my wife was in the dentist's chair. Shortly after 4 p.m., a patient walked in the office and said that she saw a large fire along the highway.

I ran to the truck, grabbed my camera and walked out to the street to view the fire. After her appointment, we spent the next hour trying to get around the fire as we made our way home.

Most of the local roads were busy, but not impassible. After taking photos of air activity, we decided to visit our daughter in Cameron Park. I took these pictures at 7:15 p.m. after Cal Fire crews had built a line around the fire and air craft had been released.

For the second time in two weeks, I was able to watch Cal Fire helicopters shuttle water to the brush fire. Here Cal Fire H-104 lands along U.S. 50 to take down its water bucket and (presumably) head to base. The pilot set the copter down in a small clearing in the chaparral.

Helitack crew members run up to the water bucket to disconnect it and place it in the cab of the helicopter. The helicopter landed about 20 feet to the north of the highway. The LZ was located about one-quarter mile east of the fire.