Kern County, California – Just after 3 a.m., a helicopter was launched to battle the growing Fort Fire in the Grapevine area.

The flames were spreading fast, threatening homes in Digier Canyon and racing up the hillside from Interstate 5.

With the fire showing potential to become massive, Helicopter 407 was called in for urgent night operations.

Equipped with night vision goggles, the helicopter flew into the darkness to assist ground crews.

For two and a half hours, it made 15 critical water drops that would normally wait for daylight.

This early action gave firefighters on the ground precious time to build and secure fire lines.

The helicopter remained on scene until 11 a.m., completing a total of 49 water drops in support of the containment effort.

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