Saskatchewan recorded one of the worst years on record for forest fires in 2023 and as crews prepare for the years ahead, help is on the way.
Four repurposed land-based airtanker aircraft will be replacing the current fleet to fight fires across the province.
“Saskatchewan relies on land-based airtanker aircraft as part of its approach to managing wildfires,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman said. “These aircraft are used in instances where waterbombers may not be able to access lakes to fill up their tanks.”
The aircrafts in question come with a total price tag of $187 million set to be paid by 2029.
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“This is an investment that’s just not about this summer or next summer but it’s about the longer term, the next number of decades and keeping our communities safe,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said.
From the new fleet, the Conair 8-Q400At planes are dedicated airtankers with a focus on dispersing fire retardant, while the 8-Q400MRE will be used for multiple purposes, like passenger evacuation and transporting cargo.
“Saskatchewan leads the country in preparing for future disasters with their order for four modern emergency response aircraft,” Conair Aerial Firefighting president and CEO Matt Bradley said. “They are the first province to invest in the safety and security of their citizens with a purchase of the multi-role airtankers, built by Canadians for Canadians.”
The current fleet of planes has been in operation for over two decades, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Authority (SPSA), without including their lives before fighting fires.
The old fleet will reach the end of its lifespan near 2027.
“These planes will replace the SPSA’s aging land-based airtanker fleet with a modern, supportable aircraft with an anticipated useful life of 25 years,” Merriman said. “They will also support the SPSA’s ability to provide an operational response to more emergencies and public safety events beyond wildfires.”
The first plane is expected to take off in 2025, with the remaining arriving by the end of 2027.