A member of Parliament on Vancouver Island wants Ottawa to create a national aerial firefighting fleet to help defend Canadians against wildfires — and at least one wildfire researcher agrees, saying a federal wildfire force could be imminent.
Gord Johns, NDP MP for Courtenay-Alberni, rose in the House of Commons and has filed a petition this week to call on the federal government to invest in such a fleet in light of escalating wildfires across the country.
"Canada is facing record wildfires that are destroying communities, critical infrastructure and lives, while also creating dangerous air pollution that harms human health," Johns said during Question Period on Wednesday.
"Will the government commit in this budget to establishing a permanent national aerial firefighting fleet so Canada can defend our communities from climate disasters?"
Johns's riding was hit by two major wildfires this summer — an anomaly in a region known for its rainforests and mild climate.
WATCH | MP Gord Johns speaks in House of Commons about the need for a national aerial firefighting fleet:
Currently, each province manages its own wildfire response. Some have their own aerial fleets, others contract the work out.
The Canadian Armed Forces can assist when needed, but wildfire researcher Mike Flannigan says it's not specifically trained to put out wildfires.
"Status quo may not be the best option to meet the challenges of the fire seasons we're now seeing in Canada," said Flannigan, the scientific director of the Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation, and Resiliency at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C.
"If we can spend more money on prevention and mitigation, it makes sense to do that as opposed to payout after the fire has burned your town down."
Federal ministry 'actively looking' at options
In a written statement, the Ministry of Emergency Management and Community Resilience said the federal government collaborates with provinces, territories and NGOs to provide support where needed.
"We are actively looking at all options to strengthen the federal government's approach to emergency management, so we are better able to respond to wildfires and other natural disasters," the ministry said.
Flannigan agrees with Johns that it would behoove Canada to have a national agency capable of responding to wildfires, especially because the provinces keep requiring additional crews from abroad.
But Flannigan says more than just an aerial fleet is needed. Aircraft can respond quickly, he says, but crews on the ground often do a lot of the firefighting.
Researcher Mike Flannigan says aerial fleets can be very effecting at combatting wildfires, but crews on the ground are important too. (Jesse Winter)
"We should look around the world — see what the best practices are, what would work in Canada — and move in that direction," he said.
The federal government has been hinting about a new approach to a growing wildfire crisis, Flannigan says, and he expects an announcement soon to address that.
B.C. Minister of Forests Minister Ravi Parmar told CBC News in a written statement that he supports the idea of a national firefighting fleet.
"As wildfire seasons become more severe and complex, it's paramount that we coordinate our national response capabilities to protect the safety, health and economic well-being of everyone in B.C. and throughout Canada," Parmar said.
Potential homegrown solution
In his House of Commons speech, Johns specifically mentioned an opportunity for Coulson Aviation to contribute to a homegrown solution that would create skilled jobs in Canada.
The Port Alberni-based company is contracted worldwide, including in Australia, the U.S. and by the B.C. government to fight fires from the skies.
The company says it's currently trying to buy the government's fleet of retired CC-130H Hercules aircraft and convert them to large air tankers for the provinces' use.
B.C. company sends aircraft to help fight L.A. wildfires Duration 6:50 Amid raging wildfires in the Los Angeles area, B.C.-based Coulson Aviation has sent aircraft, crews and equipment to help. The company's CEO Wayne Coulson spoke about the rapidly spreading blazes and how his people are being challenged on every front.
"It's being discussed on a daily basis, as we understand it," said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Aviation.
Coulson says his company submitted an unsolicited proposal to the federal government to acquire the aircraft, which it has already done in New Zealand and Norway.
The company says it could convert the aircraft and operate them on contract, either keeping the fleet itself or selling it back to Ottawa.
"If Canada did have their own air force for firefighting, that would be just good for Canada," Coulson said, regardless of who operates it. "It doesn't necessarily have to be us."
[SRC] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/national-wildfire-fighting-agency-proposed-1.7644004
