Australia sends CH-47D Chinook and Bell 412 to fight wildfires in southwest France

Australia delivered two water-bombing helicopters to Mont-de-Marsan on Wednesday, its first such aid to Europe, to combat wildfires ravaging southwest France. Twenty-four Australian firefighters will support French crews in Gironde and Landes, where more than 45,000 hectares have burned. The CH-47D Chinook carries an 11,300-liter tank, nearly twice a Canadair's capacity, and can fly at night. The Boeing-built Chinook, a Vietnam-era design, is 30 meters long, while the Bell 412, flown in aboard a C-17, transports up to eight people. Ambassador Lynette Wood greeted the arrivals.