Cal Fire tankers have left the Ukiah airport for the season. The DailyJournal reports the contract for aircraft staffing the Air Attack Base expired on the 31st, and in a heavy fire season would have been extended as needed, but this year wasn’t necessary. Monday was also the official retirement date of tanker pilot John Butts, a Ukiah high school graduate who has flown out of the base for the last 28 years. Butts flew his last flight in Tanker 90 for a small fire in the Annapolis area. Battalion Aviation Chief Ray Taglio said 2022 was the slowest fire season he could remember since coming to work in 2009.