It's a Bird, It's a Plane, No It's a SuperScooper

The Los Angeles County Fire Department will lease two ``SuperScoopers'' from Canada during the fire season, a county supervisor announced Tuesday.
  
``To ensure that we are prepared for fire season, these vital aircraft have been requested to supplement our fire department's water-dropping helicopters,'' said Supervisor Michael Antonovich.
  
The fixed-wing aircraft can carry up to 1,620 gallons of water. They are designed to scoop water from a lake in 12 seconds and inject it with fire-resistant foam -- a combination up to three times more effective than water alone.
  
The planes can be airborne in as little as five minutes and fly three hours before refueling.
  
The SuperScoopers, to be leased from the government of Quebec under a five-year agreement, are scheduled for delivery Sept. 1 and are expected to be in service through Nov. 30.
  
Chief Deputy John Tripp said the lease cost typically runs about $2.3 million per fire season, but varies based on use. The department may keep the equipment for a longer period if needed, based on weather and fire conditions, Tripp said.