Nova Scotia signs $6.5M contract for 4 water bombers for wildfire season

An Air Tractor AT-802 water bomber is pictured. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

The Nova Scotia government is spending $6.5 million on four water bombers and a coordinator plane as wildfire season enters the summer.

The four fixed-wing Air Tractor AT-802 water bombers will be maintained and housed by Forest Protection Limited of New Brunswick, which signed the contract with Nova Scotia.

They will also look after a Cessna Caravan Bird Dog, which will determine safe lines for the bombers to follow around a fire, according to a news release from the province.

“Our wildfire seasons are becoming more intense, more unpredictable and more demanding. We’ve learned that we already know how to respond, and how to step up and support each other,” said Premier Tim Houston in the release. “But we also need to make sure our teams have the very best resources available to them. These new additions to our fleet will help ensure we’re well prepared.”

The province is also spending $300,000 for three air attack officers who will coordinate aircraft during wildfires. An additional $12.8 million, which will be matched by the federal government – will modernize tools and replace the helicopter fleet.

The current fleet is comprised of four Airbus H-125 helicopters in Shubenacadie. They can transport people and equipment, and drop water on wildfires. The province says they can drop up to 1,477 litres of water or foam at a time.

Last year, the Long Lake wildfire in West Dalhousie burned more than 8,400 hectares, destroying homes and prompting evacuations.

The wildfire season runs from March 15 to Oct. 15 in Nova Scotia.

More to come…

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