An aerial tanker pilot fighting the Black Fire in New Mexico captured video as another aircraft dropped retardant ahead of the fires smoking edge.
The Black Fire started 24 miles north of Mimbres in the Gila National Forest at around 9 p.m. May 13. As of May 17, the fire was estimated to have burned more than 56,000 acres and was 0 percent contained, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Groups Incident Information System. The cause is under investigation.
New Mexico-based aerial firefighting company 10 Tanker Air Carrier posted the video, captured by lead pilot Ralph Sweeney, on Twitter, explaining that the retardant is used to decrease the intensity of the fire to help the hardworking ground crews.
The company operates a fleet of converted McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft. The DC-10 is no longer used as a passenger airliner, but is still used for cargo, and in this case, tankers.
During the North American fire season from April to October, 10 Tanker Air Carrier operates tankers out of Albuquerque, but the company takes on firefighting missions globally during other regions fire seasons.
As of May 7, the company said it had delivered 1 million gallons of retardant so far this year. As of May 11, 59 percent of the companys missions were in New Mexico.
