As firefighters race against time to contain the active wildfires in Los Angeles, the authorities explore all possible ways to prevent the further spread of the fire. One such way is the deployment of the Canadian CL-415 Super Scooper, one of the world's most effective firefighting aircraft.
What are Super Scoopers?
Super Scoopers are amphibious water bombers that can quickly scoop up large amounts of water and drop them directly above the flames from a lake, ocean or bay.
Compared to the helicopters equipped with buckets or traditional air tankers, these aircraft can hold heavier loads of water and can replenish their water reserves without landing.
The Super Scooper CL-415
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) January 11, 2025
A beast built for versatility, the Super Scooper refills from lakes and oceans in just 12 seconds. This amphibious aircraft has been used worldwide since the 1990s and can drop 1,600 gallons of water at a time. pic.twitter.com/yjL4CdsjMu
The Super Scoopers skim the water's surface at a speed of 100 mph and can collect up to 1,600 gallons of water in under 12 seconds.
Presently, two Super Scoopers are loaned by the government of Quebec to Los Angeles authorities to help them combat wildfires. However, only one is operational as the other one’s wing was damaged by a private drone.
What are Super Scooper’s specs?
The 12 seconds of the CL-415 Super Scooper water collection procedure. pic.twitter.com/qnwMY2vzZR
— Brian Roemmele (@BrianRoemmele) January 13, 2025
With a wingspan of 93 feet and a length of 65 feet, the Super Scooper is designed to drop a large volume of water directly above a wildfire. In order to make its drops more efficient, the water can also be mixed with a foam concentrate.
The main unique feature of the CL-415 is its ability to replenish its tank without landing. It can also be filled by fire hoses at an airfield before takeoff, allowing it to fly directly to the drop-off point.
After filling the tanker, the aircraft flies to the wildfire at around 220 mph to drop its load from a height of 100 to 150 feet. Later, the pilot presses a button to open the tank and disperse the water.
The speed with which the Super Scooper can replenish its water tanks – repeating the process until it runs out of fuel – makes it a “phenomenal” tool for fighting fires, the Los Angeles County Fire Department has said.
C-130 Hercules air tankers, capable of deploying 4,000 gallons of water, and Grumman S-2T air tankers, capable of dropping 1,200 gallons are also used by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to tackle the fire.
