File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Jill Sperling

BC WILDFIRE

Airtankers return to Kamloops for the wildfire season

May 12, 2020 | 4:27 PM

KAMLOOPS — Every spring, Kamloops residents notice a new presence in the skies above the city.

Airtankers are back at the Provincial Wildfire Coordination Centre in Kamloops and they are ready for use throughout the wildfire season.

“In Kamloops we have two RJ85’s, so they’re heavy retardent tankers, six fire bosses, so they’re the amphibious ones that are usually skimming off the lakes, and then two bird dog aircraft,” said Superintendent of Airtanker Operations Eric Antifaeff.

The bird dogs are the lead planes, directing the other aircraft to where they are needed.

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The RJ85’s lay down a perimeter of retardent to stop the fire from spreading.

“The retardent is more long term in its effects, it will sort of change the chemical burning nature of the fire, so it’s placed adjacent to the fire for a long term,” Antifaeff said.

The skimmers, on the other hand, will typically pick up water from a source nearby, releasing it on the fire.

“The water, it’s usually enhanced with foam to give it some better properties,” Antifaeff said, “but it’s dropped directly on the hot spots of the fire to reduce the intensity of the fire right in a specific area.”

The pre-season training has wrapped up for the pilots, and on Monday they had their first opportunity to put their skills to use.

“Yesterday, up near Kitimat, there was a fire the airtankers went to that was the first target of the season and otherwise it’s been a late spring and we haven’t had much activity,” Antifaeff said.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still a consideration, the Airtanker Centre has implemented stricter cleaning practices.

“Big changes are sanitization schedules for the aircraft, cleaning of the bases, restricting access, but luckily we haven’t had to change anything yet in response.”

The airtankers are ready to take flight, should the fire season heat up.