The prototype of a giant airship that would help fight forest fires is under construction in California.
The 300m propeller-powered airship would be capable of carrying just under one million litres of water and could be refilled from other aircraft.
Ralph Pope of Wetzone Engineering in Huntingdon Beach, California said: “It will be like having a non-stop artificial rainstorm.”
The airship will be ready in about three years.
The biggest planes used to fight the massive fires sweeping Colorado carry about 13,000 litres on a single trip and must fly dangerously low. Helicopters carry up to 600 litres.
In addition to fighting fires the airship could be used to replant the forest.
Once the fire is out the crew could drop soil and fertiliser from the airship and use the fire-fighting equipment to water seedlings.
