21°c N/A
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
New bombers ready for fires
Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg Free Press Ground crew members polish a new CL-415 water bomber. The new aircraft are faster and more efficient than older planes.
THE province showed off two of its shiny new water bombers on Wednesday, but if recent fire events continue, they won't stay shiny much longer.
Manitoba has seen more than 60 forest fires and dozens of grass fires this spring already. One of the biggest was last weekend near Selkirk, where the province dispatched two water bombers to douse the flames at a metal salvage yard.
The aircraft shown off by Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton and Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh are two of four to be purchased by the province to beef up its firefighting resources, under a deal with Bombardier worth $126 million.
"This is a huge, huge investment," Ashton said. "Things like forest fires, grass fires are a fact of life, and boy oh boy, are these planes going to make a difference."
Three of the aircraft have been delivered to the province, with the last one to arrive this fall. With the new planes, Manitoba will have six water bombers.
"These water bombers have doubled, basically doubled, our firefighting capacity," Mackintosh said. "This really enhances the arsenal."
Graham MacIver, who has been a water bomber pilot for 25 years, said the new planes are easier on the arms when flying as the old-style aircraft had to be wrestled manually with each turn.
"It was like driving around an old Ford truck without power steering," he said. "These new ones (have) hydraulically boosted flight controls, so it's basically flying on thumb and finger. It reduces the pilot workload by quite a bit.
"You can go out on a four-hour mission on these new airplanes and come back and you're not feeling totally exhausted, whereas on the old airplane, you knew you had a pretty good workout."
Mackintosh said despite recent rain and cooler temperatures, officials predict things will flare up again soon.
Provincial fire manager Gary Friesen said conditions are still dry in central and eastern Manitoba. About 6,000 hectares have burned so far this year.
"We're counting on timely rains just to help out with the situation," Friesen said, adding the big concern now is with eastern Manitoba and its risk of going up in flames because of lightning strikes.
Last year, 315 forest fires burned a total of 126,800 hectares across Manitoba, compared with the 16-year average of 492 fires and 183,059 hectares of land burned.
About half of the wildfires in Manitoba each year are caused by humans.
Open fires are prohibited from April 1 to Nov. 15, except with a burning permit or in approved firepits such as campfire grates in provincial campsites. Due to dry conditions, many rural municipalities in southern Manitoba already have burning bans in place.
Enhanced capabilities
THE new water bombers fly faster, carry more water, complete more drops per hour and will use less fuel and engine oil per mission.
New CL-415 water bomber (4)
Speed: 331 km/h
Water capacity: 6,140 litres
Water drops per hour: 20
Number of drops during a normal four-hour mission: 80
Old CL-215 water bomber (2)
Speed: 258 km/h
Water capacity: 5,346 litres
Water drops per hour: 12
Number of drops a during normal four-hour mission: 48
-- source: Manitoba government
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 4, 2012 A4
More Latest News
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
More Latest News
(1 of 50 articles for today)
Pittsburgh Penguins take Game 4 with 7-3 romp over Ottawa Senators
11:31 PM 0
Poll
Most Popular Latest News
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Winnipeg woman camps out in front of legislature to protest child welfare
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Two men now facing first-degree murder charges in Tim Bosma test drive death
- New owner for lumber stores
- New downtown tower could be 42 storeys tall: developers
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Peeping Tom portrayed as sexual deviant in court
- Man killed after test drive a regular guy, and it cost him his life: widow
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Horrific crash kills minivan driver near Brandon
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Winnipeg woman camps out in front of legislature to protest child welfare
- Rainfall warning issued for southern Manitoba
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Seattle man dribbling soccer ball to Brazil killed by car on Oregon Coast
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Driver crashes into tree near golf course
- Arrests made after raids on local head shops
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- News of city's $17-million winner leaks out on FB
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Susan Griffiths dies in Switzerland
- New owner for lumber stores
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Heritage Winnipeg hosting 10th annual Doors Open Winnipeg this weekend
- Order of Manitoba recipients announced
- Paying bills and consumer consumption hurting Canadians' ability to save: study
- Horrific crash kills minivan driver near Brandon
- Creative industries can fuel a city's economic engine
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- New owner for lumber stores
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Marsh Madness: Photographers Fred Greenslade and Joe Bryksa capture spring migration's grandeur at Delta Marsh
- Horrific crash kills minivan driver near Brandon
- Prominent Canadians back petition to rename Victoria Day to honour aboriginals
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Animals are animals, new ads say
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Order of Manitoba recipients announced
- New owner for lumber stores
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Dogs can experience separation anxiety and depression just like humans
- Ontario steps in to help save ELA
- Saskatchewan professor wants to test the health benefits of nose-picking
- 'Revenge of the redheads': Ginger-haired Montrealers gather in celebration
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.