Firefighting Helicopters in Sonoma County Siphon Water to Battle Flames

Aerial helicopters in Sonoma County, California, conducted several rounds of water bucket drops on Monday, October 15, continuing their effort to fight the fast-spreading Nuns fire which has scorched over 46,000 acres.

The Nuns fire is a consolidation of five large fires that had crossed over from Sonoma into Napa County, according to CBS San Francisco. As of the evening of October 15, the fire was 60 percent contained. The fire burned down several homes on Saturday as it made its way towards downtown Sonoma.

At least 40 people have been killed in the Northern California fires that have ravaged the state in the past weeks.

This video shows a helicopter picking up water from a lake to douse the fire’s fast-moving flames. Credit: Instagram/Austi V. Campbell via Storyful