Vancouver Island company inks contract with B.C. to help fight wildfires
They're known internationally as a leader in aerial firefighting efforts. Now, after seven years of not being able to fight locally, the Port Alberni-based Coulson Group finally has a small contract in B.C.
Over the weekend, the BC Forest Service accepted the company's offer to supply a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter to fight fires in the province.
Coulson Aviation President, Britt Coulson, says the helicopter is larger than typical firefighting helicopters in B.C.'s fleet.
It's since flown up from California, where the company has a large presence.
"The Type 1 aircraft in that part of the world is the backbone of the fleet," said Coulson.
"So B.C. traditionally uses Type 2 and even some Type 3 smaller aircraft, so starting to bring up Type 1s is going to make a significant difference for the fire situation here," he said.
Coulson says the island company is excited to work in B.C. once again.
"It was a great feeling," he said Monday. "It's nice to be able to give back to British Columbia where we've lived our whole lives. It's a great feeling to be able to be part of the solution."
In Port Alberni, locals are excited to hear that Coulson Group has finally landed a local contract after a lengthy stint of only working internationally.
"Last year, we were the largest operator in Australia," said Coulson. "We were the largest operator in Chile as well. So everywhere, all the other countries we work in, our assets are very desirable."
Currently, Coulson Group's contract with B.C. is only for five days. But, the company says it's at least a foot in the door for potential contracts in the future.
The company says it also reached out to the province again after a fire ripped through the Village of Lytton in the Interior last week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.