"The minute that we had ignition, we had aircraft off the ground and supporting that community," said CAL FIRE Fresno-Kings Unit Capt. Casey Hutchings.
Crews work with multiple agencies in and out of the Fresno Air Attack Base to contain the flames of the Colorado Fire burning since Tuesday afternoon.
"Not only from our base here, but multiple agencies in different bases throughout California," said Capt. Hutchings.
The all-hands-on deck approach aiding in the attack from above as crews utilize the C-130's. The powerful aircraft is able to hold a capacity of 4,000 gallons of retardant.
"We have been receiving retardant from them also. And the number is 72,000 gallons of retardant. 42,000 gallons alone from Fresno here at the airbase," said Capt. Hutchings.
The substance critical for crews who work to combat the flames above the steep terrain of Mariposa County. CAL FIRE described the fire conditions for crews on Wednesday.
"It's so steep in some places, it's almost a vertical climb, and they're having to move everything by hand," said CAL FIRE Spokesperson Emily Kilgore.
That type of aerial efficiency saves crews time on the ground.
"They can drop a lot more retardant on the fire without having to come back and refill," said Capt. Hutchings.
As of Wednesday evening, evacuation orders and warnings remain in place for certain communities near the fire - including Briceburg in Mariposa County.
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