# B.C. premier says he will lobby PM to enlist military    for wildfire duty



## daftandbarmy (8 Jul 2021)

’cause we’re awesome at ‘raking the forests’ 

B.C. premier says he will lobby PM to enlist military for wildfire prevention duty​During questioning after a news conference with Trudeau about child-care funding, Horgan said the military could be called upon to serve in a larger prevention role by clearing forest debris to reduce fuel before fires start.

"We're hopeful we can find new ways to redeploy military resources, the Armed Forces of Canada, to help with fuel management, because if there's no fuel, it's easier to manage the fires.”

B.C. premier says he will lobby PM to enlist military for wildfire prevention duty


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## Kilted (8 Jul 2021)

Aren't the Provinces able to request military assistance without involving the Federal Government?


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## SupersonicMax (8 Jul 2021)

Kilted said:


> Aren't the Provinces able to request military assistance without involving the Federal Government?


RFAs are for providing support in response to an emergency. What the Premier is talking about it prevention of emergencies, essentially a standing role for the CAF to clean up forrest of dead wood.  Not sure how that fits within the CAF mandates.  But again, using artillery for avalanche control is also within this type of requests so who knows.


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## Furniture (8 Jul 2021)

Just what an understaffed, and struggling CAF needs... a minimum wage thankless job in the middle of nowhere. That will drive recruitment, and retention for sure. While I understand the BC government's request, I think it would be a bad move for the CAF to get into it beyond a year or two at most. We are expensive, and over qualified for that work. Maybe have a few tasking to support if specialized kit is needed, might be a good way to recruit. 

Ideally a job like that would be a great way to offer summer/spring employment to students, and other underemployed youth. Make $15-17/hour, live in a camp paid for by the government, and walk away at the end of the summer richer, well tanned, and in better shape.


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## SeaKingTacco (8 Jul 2021)

No


daftandbarmy said:


> ’cause we’re awesome at ‘raking the forests’
> 
> B.C. premier says he will lobby PM to enlist military for wildfire prevention duty​During questioning after a news conference with Trudeau about child-care funding, Horgan said the military could be called upon to serve in a larger prevention role by clearing forest debris to reduce fuel before fires start.
> 
> ...


Not even close to something the CAF should be doing. How about enlisting those thousands of environmentally minded university students to do something useful in summer- besides protest stuff?

what’s next- the CAF bringing in the wheat harvest?


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## Quirky (8 Jul 2021)

7% unemployment rate in BC and they want to send in the military. 🙄


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## daftandbarmy (8 Jul 2021)

SupersonicMax said:


> RFAs are for providing support in response to an emergency. What the Premier is talking about it prevention of emergencies, essentially a standing role for the CAF to clean up forrest of dead wood.  Not sure how that fits within the CAF mandates.  But again, using artillery for avalanche control is also within this type of requests so who knows.



BC is huge. The area of forest he's talking about is roughly twice the size of Germany.

Preventative forest management work like this could keep the whole CAF busy for years and, of course, is something that civilian businesses who are properly prepared, equipped and trained to do this work should be doing.


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## Good2Golf (8 Jul 2021)

C16s and WP rounds?


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## Kilted (8 Jul 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> BC is huge. The area of forest he's talking about is roughly twice the size of Germany.
> 
> Preventative forest management work like this could keep the whole CAF busy for years and, of course, is something that civilian businesses who are properly prepared, equipped and trained to do this work should be doing.


So similar to dealing with a light snowfall in Toronto?


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## daftandbarmy (8 Jul 2021)

Good2Golf said:


> C16s and WP rounds?



One of our C6 courses got a pretty good fire going in the Chilcotin just with 4BIT


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## MilEME09 (9 Jul 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> BC is huge. The area of forest he's talking about is roughly twice the size of Germany.
> 
> Preventative forest management work like this could keep the whole CAF busy for years and, of course, is something that civilian businesses who are properly prepared, equipped and trained to do this work should be doing.


At most I could see the RCAF help airlift crews for a bit, that's about it. Better ways to use our resources.


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## SupersonicMax (9 Jul 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> BC is huge. The area of forest he's talking about is roughly twice the size of Germany.
> 
> Preventative forest management work like this could keep the whole CAF busy for years and, of course, is something that civilian businesses who are properly prepared, equipped and trained to do this work should be doing.


I understand that but at this point, nothing would surprise me…


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## PuckChaser (9 Jul 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> BC is huge. The area of forest he's talking about is roughly twice the size of Germany.
> 
> Preventative forest management work like this could keep the whole CAF busy for years and, of course, is something that civilian businesses who are properly prepared, equipped and trained to do this work should be doing.


Full Time Summer Employment program. 2 Birds with 1 Stone.


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## MilEME09 (9 Jul 2021)

PuckChaser said:


> Full Time Summer Employment program. 2 Birds with 1 Stone.


A lot of full PAT platoons with nothing to do


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## Maxman1 (9 Jul 2021)

MilEME09 said:


> A lot of full PAT platoons with nothing to do



Other than smoking cigarettes and watching _Captain Kangaroo._


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## OldSolduer (9 Jul 2021)

Maxman1 said:


> Other than smoking cigarettes and watching _Captain Kangaroo._


Don’t tell me I got nothin to do….


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## Jarnhamar (9 Jul 2021)

SeNd In Th





MilEME09 said:


> A lot of full PAT platoons with nothing to do


Considering our medical system has moved to asking patients what they want for medical restrictions and how much time off they want I can see those PAT platoons staying put if they were ordered to go pick up sticks in the forest.


I know these politicians like making illogical requests to make themselves look good but this one is pretty grandiose.


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## CBH99 (9 Jul 2021)

Quirky said:


> 7% unemployment rate in BC and they want to send in the military. 🙄


Haha well you DO make a valid point in terms of numbers. 

But when you drive around Vancouver and see some of the homeless / unemployed folks… I wouldn’t want them fighting fires.  I’d reckon they would start more actually, not understanding that ‘cigarette butts in this environment are bad.’

If nothing else, a minor filter would be required…. Folks who usually work but hit tough times?  Great summer employment for sure

EDIT - I obviously read the posts and posted my reply here before reading the actual article.  Disregard my above 🤦🏼‍♂️


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## PuckChaser (9 Jul 2021)

If those PAT Platoons exist at all. CAF recruiting took a nosedive through COVID, theres not thousands of folks waiting for a broken training system anymore. There is, however, tons of reservists from affected provinces who have been promised 4 months of employment. Nothing in the FTSE said it would be jump and door gunner courses for 4 years.


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## daftandbarmy (9 Jul 2021)

PuckChaser said:


> If those PAT Platoons exist at all. CAF recruiting took a nosedive through COVID, theres not thousands of folks waiting for a broken training system anymore. There is, however, tons of reservists from affected provinces who have been promised 4 months of employment. Nothing in the FTSE said it would be jump and door gunner courses for 4 years.



And, even better, statistics prove that keen 18 year olds join the Army so they can do all the crappy menial jobs the civvies don't want and, also, the Province saves money because they only have to pay the CAF a fraction - for Toons - of what they'd need to pay out to a professional forest management firm.

Win win!


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## MJP (9 Jul 2021)

PuckChaser said:


> If those PAT Platoons exist at all. CAF recruiting took a nosedive through COVID, theres not thousands of folks waiting for a broken training system anymore. There is, however, tons of reservists from affected provinces who have been promised 4 months of employment. Nothing in the FTSE said it would be jump and door gunner courses for 4 years.


Oh there are still thousands on BTL (8700 or 14% of our manning) waiting to get trained they are just spread out across the country straining base resources.  They did away with huge PAT Pls for the most part and generally allow BTL folks to live either at their likely first posting (if they didn't live near a base location), or they work out of the base that is in near were they enrolled.  There are some school PAT Pls (Sigs School comes to mind but there are otehrs) still but they are much reduced from there early 2007-2015 days. The general theme is where possible reduce time away from families as we have more older recruits and put people where they will likely be first employed

The knock on effect is that base BTLs are huge and the staffs there were not intended to take on large numbers of untrained folks.  Those base BTLs were designed for Subsidized Education and OTing folks which depending on the area can be high (Toronto, Edm,) and the staffing ahs to be pulled from other areas to make it work.

That said recruiting is broken and this year's SIP just like last year's seems to be slipping


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## medicineman (9 Jul 2021)

Good2Golf said:


> C16s and WP rounds?


Why stop at C16's - air bust some 105 or 155mm.  Wider swathe and all


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## PuckChaser (9 Jul 2021)

MJP said:


> Oh there are still thousands on BTL (8700 or 14% of our manning) waiting to get trained they are just spread out across the country straining base resources.  They did away with huge PAT Pls for the most part and generally allow BTL folks to live either at their likely first posting (if they didn't live near a base location), or they work out of the base that is in near were they enrolled.  There are some school PAT Pls (Sigs School comes to mind but there are otehrs) still but they are much reduced from there early 2007-2015 days. The general theme is where possible reduce time away from families as we have more older recruits and put people where they will likely be first employed.


I think in this context, the BTL numbers for the RegF aren't easily accessed. As you mentioned most (I've had a few roll through my shop because their service spouse was posted to my base) are Att Posted to units for OJE. They wouldn't be easily retasked the way freshly employed pers from PRes units that already have leadership taking advantage of that FTSE as well. I'm sure there are RegF BTLs (thinking West Coast RCN schools) that might have formed bodies of individuals, but administratively it'd be easier to dip into the PRes well since the big burden (how do we pay them) is already solved with FTSE.

I'll have to check that SIP link out, very interested in those numbers. Thanks.


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## MJP (9 Jul 2021)

PuckChaser said:


> I think in this context, the BTL numbers for the RegF aren't easily accessed. As you mentioned most (I've had a few roll through my shop because their service spouse was posted to my base) are Att Posted to units for OJE. They wouldn't be easily retasked the way freshly employed pers from PRes units that already have leadership taking advantage of that FTSE as well. I'm sure there are RegF BTLs (thinking West Coast RCN schools) that might have formed bodies of individuals, but administratively it'd be easier to dip into the PRes well since the big burden (how do we pay them) is already solved with FTSE.
> 
> I'll have to check that SIP link out, very interested in those numbers. Thanks.


Oh absolutely, I was merely pointing out they still still exist. Largely they are better served continuing OJE at various units than doing some sort of civil service to Canada cleaning up the forests of flammable fuel.


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## daftandbarmy (9 Jul 2021)

MJP said:


> Oh absolutely, I was merely pointing out they still still exist. Largely they are better served continuing OJE at various units than doing some sort of civil service to Canada *cleaning up the forests of flammable fuel*.



IIRC that fuel was largely already paid for by the taxpayer, and left behind by logging companies, because the regulations have not been changed to require forest licensees (which would effect stumpage rates) to clean up after themselves.

Over 90% of BC's landbase is Crown Land and tons of it is leased out to various users like municipalities, forest companies etc. Therefore, 90% of this problem rests solely at the feet of the Premier of the day and their policy makers. Multiple AARs completed after various big fire seasons have said basically the same thing.

The CAF should not have to cover up for questionable forest management policies in one province. 

To employ a somewhat false analogy, that would be like the CAF stepping in to run extended care facilities in Quebec to stop old people from dying faster than they should from COVID.


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## suffolkowner (9 Jul 2021)

It seems more like it could be tied into a National Service/Emergency Response type of thing to me and not a military response, again other than emergencies. What are logging companies leaving behind and where? Perhaps logging activities could be adjusted to provide firebreaks instead of fueling them? What else other than creating firebreaks around towns can reasonably be expected? BC is a big place with lots of forests it doesn't seem feasible or even desirable to me to engage in some sort of forest/wilderness clean up plan. Some dozers and excavators would be your best firefighters. When you read stories about people throughout the country planting trees in the firebreaks that were established the last season you just have to shake your head as we have to start all over


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## Brad Sallows (9 Jul 2021)

1. Something must be seen to be done.
2. Preferably paid for by someone else.
3. About average ingenuity for a politician confronted by a problem.  No worries about being compared favourably to the great leaders of history for this one.


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## daftandbarmy (9 Jul 2021)

Brad Sallows said:


> 1. Something must be seen to be done.
> 2. Preferably paid for by someone else.
> 3. About average ingenuity for a politician confronted by a problem.  No worries about being compared favourably to the great leaders of history for this one.



The Forest Enhancement Society of BC was created, in part, to fund projects like this as a result of recommendations coming out of previous Wildfire Season audit reports. If they want to funnel money and resources somewhere, it should probably be to this organization. 

The fact that the Premier thinks the Army should be doing this work suggest to me that he really doesn't know, or care, much about Rural BC (because there are no elected NDP MLA's outside of Urban BC perhaps?):

OUR PURPOSE​“With support from the governments of B.C. and Canada, the Forest Enhancement Society of BC has been supporting many indigenous groups, local communities, contractors and companies to implement innovative forestry projects that *reduce greenhouse gases, protect communities from wildfire, improve wildlife habitat, and create jobs* for British Columbians. This work generates immense social, economic, and environmental benefits for British Columbians today, and for our children and grandchildren in the future.”
—Jim Snetsinger, FESBC Chair

The purposes of the Forest Enhancement Society of British Columbia are:


To advance environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests by:
_*preventing and mitigating the impact of wildfires;*_
improving damaged or low value forests;
improving habitat for wildlife;
supporting the use of fibre from damaged and low value forests; and
treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases.

To advocate for the environmental and resource stewardship of British Columbia’s forests.
To do all such other things as are incidental and ancillary to the attainment of the foregoing purposes and the exercise of the powers of the Society.
Stay up to date on FESBC-funded projects across our province by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.









						About FESBC
					

Our vision is to enhance forest resilience to wildfire and climate change for the lasting benefit of British Columbia’s environment, wildlife, forest health, and communities.




					www.fesbc.ca


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## Brad Sallows (9 Jul 2021)

Preventing fires is one of the problems.  Fires without end, amen.


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## OldSolduer (9 Jul 2021)

I have a question:

Are deadfall burns still performed? Controlled burns I think they were called.


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## Colin Parkinson (9 Jul 2021)

Yes they are still done, but you have to have the right conditions


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## ArmyRick (10 Jul 2021)

SeaKingTacco said:


> No
> 
> Not even close to something the CAF should be doing. How about enlisting those thousands of environmentally minded university students to do something useful in summer- besides protest stuff?
> 
> what’s next- the CAF bringing in the wheat harvest?


Well since the CAF does mind numbing jobs such as fire prevention and wheat harvest, I am resuming haying soon. so how many can I get to help?


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## daftandbarmy (10 Jul 2021)

ArmyRick said:


> Well since the CAF does mind numbing jobs such as fire prevention and wheat harvest, I am resuming haying soon. so how many can I get to help?



The militaries of other totalitarian regimes help out with the harvest too. China leads the way for Canada! 








__





						chinese soldiers farm harvesting - Google Search
					





					www.google.com


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## MilEME09 (10 Jul 2021)

US Army Corp of engineers does a fair bit a civil engineering work, so it's not unusual to be doing a standing non military task.


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## Rifleman62 (10 Jul 2021)

Tell BC we don't have Pioneers anymore and let him try and figure that out.


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## Blackadder1916 (10 Jul 2021)

MilEME09 said:


> US Army Corp of engineers does a fair bit a civil engineering work, so it's not unusual to be doing a standing non military task.



But there is a considerable difference between the civil engineering missions of the USACE, which are separately authorized, funded and largely performed/managed by its 36,000 civilian employees (or done under contract by private companies) and a request for cheap, temporary labour.


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## Colin Parkinson (10 Jul 2021)

Lot's of unemployed FN youth who can do the fire management stuff and the money can come out of both Federal and Provincial coffers and not DND.


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## hattrick72 (10 Jul 2021)

Colin Parkinson said:


> Lot's of unemployed FN youth who can do the fire management stuff and the money can come out of both Federal and Provincial coffers and not DND.


Why would FN youth want to work under colonialism?


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## Colin Parkinson (10 Jul 2021)

hattrick72 said:


> Why would FN youth want to work under colonialism?


What I have noted in BC, that the up and coming young FN's are more connected to the world than their elders and want jobs. This is a problem as the current leadership grew up on the Rights and Title fights, but are not well prepared to create the economic opportunities for their people. This does not make the news, but it's a growing issue for many bands.


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## Jarnhamar (10 Jul 2021)

hattrick72 said:


> Why would FN youth want to work under colonialism?


So they're not at the mercy of chiefs for money. 
So they can move on with their lives.  
For the same reasons FN youth make use of colonial hospitals and health care.


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## Navy_Pete (10 Jul 2021)

Colin Parkinson said:


> What I have noted in BC, that the up and coming young FN's are more connected to the world than their elders and want jobs. This is a problem as the current leadership grew up on the Rights and Title fights, but are not well prepared to create the economic opportunities for their people. This does not make the news, but it's a growing issue for many bands.


I think getting the FN involved in the long term forestry management would be a big win; controlled burns, and other similar stratagies are things they were doing for centuries. The current context is a bit insane, but generally lot of generational knowledge that could contribute to helping things.


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## ArmyRick (13 Jul 2021)

Back to menial tasks for the CAF. Didn't we prove ourselves as excellent snow removal crews in TO?


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## daftandbarmy (13 Jul 2021)

ArmyRick said:


> Back to menial tasks for the CAF. Didn't we prove ourselves as excellent snow removal crews in TO?



Yes, and especially when it's completely unnecessary as this recent proactive forest fire fuel management project in Mackenzie, BC proves:

*Community of Mackenzie Now has a Safe Emergency Evacuation Route*

Highway 39 is heavily forested on both sides of the highway and is the only access route in and out of the community of Mackenzie. The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) provided a grant of $1 million toward supporting a project by the District of Mackenzie (DOM) to reduce flammable woody fuel along the corridor.

Community of Mackenzie Now has a Safe Emergency Evacuation Route – FESBC – Forest Enhancement Society of BC


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## dimsum (13 Jul 2021)

ArmyRick said:


> Back to menial tasks for the CAF. Didn't we prove ourselves as excellent snow removal crews in TO?


Back?  We've been called out every year for OP LENTUS.


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## Dale Denton (13 Jul 2021)

Would it be prudent for the RCAF to assist (as a last resort) with aerial firefighting? Could accidentally get more airframes perhaps.

Continue paying firefighting services from around the world to come here, but with RCAF support?


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## dapaterson (13 Jul 2021)

Who will fly and maintain them, and pay for that fuel and those spares?


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## Good2Golf (13 Jul 2021)

LoboCanada said:


> Would it be prudent for the RCAF to assist (as a last resort) with aerial firefighting? Could accidentally get more airframes perhaps.
> 
> Continue paying firefighting services from around the world to come here, but with RCAF support?


…not it’s choice to help.  Aerial firefighting is, as several have said, a provincial responsibility and provincially funded to an industry that is very protective of its revenue.  Last capability the CAF had was mid-90s with CH-135 Bambi buckets to take care of range fires, and they really weren’t used regularly beyond the late 80s.  CH-147s had 3000gal rigid buckets that sat in the hangar with a layer of dust figuratively thicker than all the deadfall in the BC forests.

That’s all to say that the CAF might establish a rotary aerial firefighting capability when provincial and federal governments become open & transparent and fully responsive to the electorate…


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## daftandbarmy (13 Jul 2021)

LoboCanada said:


> Would it be prudent for the RCAF to assist (as a last resort) with aerial firefighting? Could accidentally get more airframes perhaps.
> 
> Continue paying firefighting services from around the world to come here, but with RCAF support?



There would be an outcry from the tanker contractors who draw down about half a billion dollars in contracts annually to provide water bombers.

It's also a hugely specialized task fraught with multiple possibilities for crashing into the mountains, or so I'm told by the experts, so it helps to have the right kind of aircraft and crews.


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## Loachman (13 Jul 2021)

Good2Golf said:


> Bambi buckets to take care of range fires,



Most useful for dowsing the CO's Iltis as it drove along a road in the training area.


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## Good2Golf (13 Jul 2021)

Loachman said:


> Most useful for dowsing the CO's Iltis as it drove along a road in the training area.


Shhhhhhh…..


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## OldSolduer (13 Jul 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> It's also a hugely specialized task fraught with multiple possibilities for crashing into the mountains, or so I'm told by the experts, so it helps to have the right kind of aircraft and crews.


I'm not a pilot but landing an ungainly looking aircraft in a lake then skimming the surface to take water on, taking off and dumping the load on an out of control fire is not for the faint of heart. Then repeat that.


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## Good2Golf (13 Jul 2021)

OldSolduer said:


> I'm not a pilot but landing an ungainly looking aircraft in a lake then skimming the surface to take water on, taking off and dumping the load on an out of control fire is not for the faint of heart. Then repeat that.


It’s even worse when you think you’re landing on the water, but you aren’t…


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## daftandbarmy (14 Jul 2021)

Good2Golf said:


> It’s even worse when you think you’re landing on the water, but you aren’t…


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## lenaitch (14 Jul 2021)

OldSolduer said:


> I'm not a pilot but landing an ungainly looking aircraft in a lake then skimming the surface to take water on, taking off and dumping the load on an out of control fire is not for the faint of heart. Then repeat that.


Nor am I but I spent a few years working alongside a (non-mountainous) fire operations centre and they have my enormous respect.  Skimming the water at a fair clip, all the time getting heavier by the second . . .   The pilots praised the newer turbine aircraft over their radial predecessors.  As for the forestry departments' fire operations - a pretty well equipped and organized operation.

I'm not sure how the original suggestion of the RCAF assisting in aerial fire fighting was meant.  Other than logistical support and a pool of untrained personnel, I'm not sure what the military could be expected to bring to the table.


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## daftandbarmy (14 Jul 2021)

lenaitch said:


> Nor am I but I spent a few years working alongside a (non-mountainous) fire operations centre and they have my enormous respect.  Skimming the water at a fair clip, all the time getting heavier by the second . . .   The pilots praised the newer turbine aircraft over their radial predecessors.  As for the forestry departments' fire operations - a pretty well equipped and organized operation.
> 
> I'm not sure how the original suggestion of the RCAF assisting in aerial fire fighting was meant.  Other than logistical support and a pool of untrained personnel, I'm *not sure what the military could be expected to bring to the table*.



Air evacuation assistance, mainly, from what I saw at OP LENTUS in 2017. 

The big transports waiting at the airport in Williams Lake were viewed like a life boat for evacuating the hospitals, and other frail folks, if the fire overwhelmed the town.

Helicopters were also on standby to evacuate smaller communities that were threatened by fire that had cut off road access.

The Army was there mainly to reinforce police presence designed to deter looters, who were sacking holiday homes and small villages after the evacuation orders had been enforced.


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## SeaKingTacco (14 Jul 2021)

LoboCanada said:


> Would it be prudent for the RCAF to assist (as a last resort) with aerial firefighting? Could accidentally get more airframes perhaps.
> 
> Continue paying firefighting services from around the world to come here, but with RCAF support?


There is literally no shortage of commercial operators that do this for a living. 

The CAF would suck at it (because it is pretty specialized work) and the hue and cry from industry would be massive.

What there is is a shortage of is airlift for firefighting crews or evac of isolated communities. That is where the RCAF can contribute.


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## Blackadder1916 (14 Jul 2021)

lenaitch said:


> . . .  Skimming the water at a fair clip, all the time getting heavier by the second . . .



And sometimes getting too heavy.










__





						Aviation Investigation Report A13A0075 - Transportation Safety Board of Canada
					

Loss of control and collision with water, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Air Services Division, CL-415, C-FIZU, Moosehead Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador, 03 July 2013




					www.tsb.gc.ca
				





> 1.1 History of the flight
> On the day before the occurrence, the flight crew had completed 53 water-drop flights at a forest fire located northeast of Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador. Each flight, typically about 3 minutes long, consisted of scooping water from Moosehead Lake,Footnote1 dropping the water on the fire, and then returning for another water scoop. . . .


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## lenaitch (14 Jul 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> Air evacuation assistance, mainly, from what I saw at OP LENTUS in 2017.
> 
> The big transports waiting at the airport in Williams Lake were viewed like a life boat for evacuating the hospitals, and other frail folks, if the fire overwhelmed the town.
> 
> ...



I suppose that's what I meant - aspects of a response to a wildfire, without the actual suppression activities.


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## childs56 (15 Jul 2021)

Many of the skills Bambi bucket and heli scoop does for aerial firefighting are similar to what our Current Helo Pilots do now. It would not take much training to get our Pilots up to snuff with drops.  
As for their actual employment and companies complaining about their use. Where I can see the Military being valuable is in quick response to critical areas. Companies can be slow to respond because they contracts are not signed, assets are in maintenance prior to the usual season or they are deployed elsewhere. We seen this during the Fort Mac fires. The Ab Gov tried to save a buck and not contract the primary Tanker company until needed. Then it was to late. They had their valuable assets deployed elsewhere around the world and or in final maintenance.


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## Maxman1 (15 Jul 2021)

Maybe BC should build up a civil defense force for fires and other disasters.


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## PuckChaser (15 Jul 2021)

Maxman1 said:


> Maybe BC should build up a civil defense force for fires and other disasters.


Ton of people living in the streets in Vancouver that might want some employment...


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## daftandbarmy (15 Jul 2021)

Maxman1 said:


> Maybe BC should build up a civil defense force for fires and other disasters.



It‘s BC. Why plan now when you can panic later?


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## blacktriangle (15 Jul 2021)

PuckChaser said:


> Ton of people living in the streets in Vancouver that might want some employment...


Doubtful.


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## gryphonv (16 Jul 2021)

Maybe time to bring back the forestry corps. 

If government wants to fund it. Why nor?


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