▁of ▁houses . ▁The ▁operation ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁the ▁initi ative ▁of ▁phil anth rop ist ▁Lucy ▁Av il és ▁and ▁her ▁husband ▁Benjamin ▁Wal ton , ▁who ▁fund ed ▁the ▁costs . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁Super t ank er ▁was ▁contract ed ▁by ▁Cal ▁Fire . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁plane ▁was ▁le ased ▁by ▁Cal ▁Fire ▁during ▁the ▁late - 2 0 1 7 ▁wild fire ▁season ▁with ▁most ▁dro ps ▁over ▁the ▁Thomas ▁Fire . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Division ▁of ▁Fire ▁Pre vention ▁and ▁Control ▁signed ▁a ▁C WN ▁contract ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁super t ank er ▁over ▁US ▁Forest ▁Service ▁lands . ▁This ▁followed ▁media ▁in qui ries ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁as ▁to ▁why ▁the ▁super t ank er ▁wasn ' t ▁contract ed ▁to ▁fight ▁the ▁fires ▁burning ▁in ▁its ▁home ▁state . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁Global ▁Super T ank er ▁was ▁deployed ▁to ▁northern ▁California ▁to ▁assist ▁with ▁the ▁out - of - control ▁Camp ▁Fire ▁in ▁But te ▁County . ▁ ▁Ever green ▁financial ▁difficulties ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Super t ank er ▁received ▁a ▁call - when - ne eded ▁contract ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Forest ▁Service , ▁despite ▁not ▁being ▁oper ational ; ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁sitting ▁without ▁engines ▁at ▁the ▁b oney ard ▁and