Can airtankers fly during an eclipse???

We've heard that some people have been wondering if aircraft can fly on a wildfire in the middle of an eclipse. Checking in with the aircraft desk at Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center in Redmond - we got this answer:

Aircraft that do not have instruments to fly at night, will have to set down 15 minutes before totality, and can take off 15 minutes after. That means our Single Engine Air Tankers and our helicopters will have to land for about 35 minutes, or fly out of the 70-mile path of totality.

Good news though - if we need them, our heavy airtankers and our air attack planes have the right instrument ratings to continue to fly during the eclipse.