Copter Picks Up Stray Propane Tanks

A Chinook helicopter whirred above Northern California’s crashing surf Monday, plucking up stray propane tanks set loose by last week’s flooding.

“The primary hazard is that some still contain propane and are extremely flammable,” said Skip Epperly, a pilot with the California Army National Guard.

In Jenner, about 60 miles northwest of San Francisco, beaches were closed during the tank-lifting operation.

The 275-gallon tanks are used to store propane, a common source of heat for homeowners along the Russian River, which empties into the sea here.

The weather cleared throughout the region Monday, though a brief shower made it the 17th straight day of rain in San Francisco. The previous record had been 15 days, set in 1936.