Premier Greg Selinger gives the thumbs up

Premier Greg Selinger in the pilot’s seat of the first of Manitoba’s new, turbine-powered water bomber aircraft, a significant upgrade to the province’s forest firefighting program. Four new aircraft will arrive in stages, as part of a contract with Bombardier, valued at approximately $126 million

November 26, 2010

WORLD-CLASS WATER BOMBER ARRIVES, JOINS PROVINCE'S FIREFIGHTING AIR FLEET

The first of four, new Bombardier 415 turboprop water-bomber aircraft has arrived in Manitoba and has been added to the province’s forest firefighting program, Premier Greg Selinger announced today.

 

“We now have the first of these new, turbine-powered aircraft that are more reliable, safer and can get to fires faster and carry more water,” said Selinger. “We are pleased to see the arrival of our first of the world’s best water bombers as this is the start of a significant upgrade to our forest firefighting program.”

 

The four new aircraft will arrive in stages, as part of a contract valued at approximately $126 million. The second aircraft will arrive in the fall of 2011, the third in January 2012 and the final one in fall of 2012.

 

The existing fleet of CL-215 water-bomber aircraft will continue to meet the province’s needs for forest firefighting efforts, until all of the new aircraft have arrived in Manitoba, the premier said.

 

Once all the upgraded aircraft are delivered to Manitoba, the provincial water-bomber fleet will consist of four new Bombardier 415 aircraft and the two CL-215 planes that are in the best condition of the existing fleet. The forest firefighting program also operates with another six airplanes and six contract helicopters.

 

The Manitoba Conservation Fire Program reports that extremely dry conditions early this year in northern Manitoba resulted in an above-average wildfire season. There were high fire-danger levels throughout most of the spring and summer. There were 585 fires that burned a total of
187,984 hectares compared to the 16-year average of 492 fires and 183,059 hectares of land affected.

 

Since 1999, the Manitoba government has also supported the province’s firefighting efforts by:

·         adding three initial-attack crews, totalling 14 firefighters;

·         obtaining an additional helicopter for the initial-attack force, for a total of six helicopters, to ensure crews are moved quickly to fires; and

·         hiring forest firefighters earlier in the season so crews can be trained earlier, kept together longer and transported to fire sites sooner in the season.

  

About half of the wildfires in Manitoba every year are human caused. The Manitoba Conservation Fire Program focuses its efforts on the protection of lives, significant property values and infrastructure, as well as forests, Selinger said.

 

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