With fire danger elevated, U.S. Forest Service brings in a 'sky crane'
PINEVILLE — Burn bans in Rapides and Grant parishes may have been rescinded because of recent rains, but the fire danger remains elevated in Central Louisiana. The fire risk is the reason the U.S. Forest Service called in a "sky crane" helicopter to be on standby at the Pineville Municipal Airport, just in case it was needed to help firefighters in a wildfire. The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-64 from Aurora, Oregon-based Helicopter Transport Services , is so huge that motorists on U.S. highways 71 and 165 could see it as they drove by. It also attracted quite a number of visitors who wanted to see it up close. It can hold up to 2,600 gallons of water that can be dropped onto a fire, allowing firefighters on the ground to then attack it. Before the recent rain, conditions were dry with low humidity for several weeks, said Jim Caldwell with the U.S. Forest Service. There were "quite a few wildfires popping up," he said. Even with the rains, if conditions get dry again, "that's when we'll start seeing more fires, and that's why it's important to have this wonderful crew, this wonderful aircraft, that can do things to help the
