Watch it: Photos capture planes helping fight wildfires in California

Many planes and helicopters are helping fight wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

Wildfires have been burning in the Los Angeles area for a week, with five fires currently active in Los Angeles, Ventura and Riverside counties as of late Friday afternoon, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Calfire).

Cal Fire currently has more than 60 aircraft and helicopters in its firefighting fleet – and aircraft from its fleet have been heavily involved in ongoing efforts to fight fires from above.

The Rockwell OV-10 aircraft are used “as the primary command and control platform for wildland incidents,” according to Cal Fire’s “Firefighting Aircraft Identification Guide.”

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These aircraft can operate at a maximum speed of 258 miles per hour.

Cal Fire also counts three King Air A200 twin-turboprop aircraft among its “tactical air aircraft.”

On its pages devoted to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst Wildfires, Cal Fire noted that “numerous firefighting air transport aircraft from around the state are conducting fire suppression missions as conditions permit.”

The department uses Grumman S-2T and Lockheed C-130H aircraft as air tankers.

Their purpose is to “rapidly deliver the initial attack of fire retardants on wildland fires,” according to Cal Fire.

The latter type of aircraft can carry 1,200 gallons, while the former has the capacity to carry 4,000 gallons.

Cal Fire is home to the Sikorsky S70i Cal Fire Hawk and Bell UH-1H Super Huey helicopters as well.

Each can “quickly deliver up to 9 Helitack crew members to ground firefighting operations and quickly transition to water/foam drop missions,” according to Cal Fire.

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The Sikorsky fixed tank holds 1,000 gallons of water or foam. Meanwhile, the Super Huey has the capacity to hold 324 gallons for its buckets and 360 gallons for its stationary tank.

During ongoing forest fires In the Los Angeles areaNon-Cal Fire owned aircraft were also seen contributing to the firefighting efforts.

For example, 10 Tanker Air Carrier said Monday on It works McDonnell Douglas DC-10 supertankers.

Canada has long provided a pair of Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper aircraft through a lease, and according to a press release issued Friday, two more aircraft will be heading to Los Angeles to assist.

These jets “pick up water from oceans, lakes and reservoirs that can be dropped as regular water or mixed with a foam inhibitor,” according to Cal Fire.

The Air National Guard has flown C-130 Hercules aircraft “equipped with aerial fire control systems” to the Los Angeles area, where they fly missions.

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Three of forest fires Currently active operations in the Los Angeles area began on January 7, including the Palisades, Eaton and Hearst Fire.

The Palisades Fire — the largest — has burned more than 23,700 acres since then and was 17% contained as of late Friday afternoon. The Eaton and Hurst fires are 35% and 97% contained, respectively.

Two more fires — the Car Fire in Ventura County and the Boy Scout Fire in Riverside County — emerged this week, affecting nearly 60 acres combined.

Thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed by forest fires. At least 24 people lost their lives.