As the resort community of Whistler prepares for wildfire season, a key part of its new wildfire defence plan focuses on the role of the tourism industry.
A big part of that plan is Blackcomb Helicopters.
While the company focuses on sightseeing flights, including giving brides and grooms once-of-a-kind weddings, in the event of a wildfire its mission is much more critical.
“It’s very vital,” Amy McDowell, the tourism director for Blackcomb Helicopters told Global News.
“The majority of our tourism business is a short time period over the summer. So those visitors coming to the resort for July and August are super important.”
McDowell said a big part of the business is fire suppression.
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“And we travel all across Canada, depending on where the fires are to help with that,” she said.
Another part of Whistler’s wildfire response is using snowmaking machines, hooked up to a system of 900 hydrants to provide water to more than 700 acres.
“So we saw that in action last year,” Whistler Fire Chief Thomas Doherty told Global News.
“There was a lightning strike up the Symphony Bowl area. Whistler Blackcomb staff were quick to respond on scene straight away and they were able to mitigate that fire.”
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