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Two Canadian SuperScooper planes arrived several weeks early in Van Nuys today too help L.A. County firefighters prepare to fight upcoming brush fires.

The water-dropping behemoths touched down about 3:50 p.m.Saturday at the Van Nuys Airport after all day flights from home base in Quebec, Canada, the L.A. Daily News reported.

“We’re excited,” L.A. County fire Inspector Gustavo Medina told the newspaper. “We’re glad they’re back. They’ll be a tremendous help. They’re now local and can be deployed quickly on any brush fire.

The lease, which runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, over the next five years for the two fixed-wing Bombardier CL-415 SuperScoopers was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at a cost of $41.25 million, the paper reported.

According to authorities the planes were expected to go into service on Monday and will be formally unveiled on Friday in Van Nuys.

The aircraft are capable of scooping up 1,620 gallons of water in just 12 seconds, according to authorities.

When combined with county and city firefighting helicopters, the air fleet can drop more than 5,000 gallons of water at one time, the Daily News reported.

— City News Service

‘SuperScooper’ firefighting planes arrive early this wildfire season was last modified: by

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