BC hires heavy-lift choppers on short contract to battle fires

Coulson Aviation, part of the Coulson Group of Companies based in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, has signed a short term, five-day contract with the government of BC to bring in one of their water bombing helicopters to aid in the battle against the wildfires that are tearing through the province’s Interior. 

“We’ve got one of our Sikorsky S-61 helicopters that we moved up from southern California into the Kamloops area,” said Coulson Aviation CEO, Wayne Coulson. 

The Sikorsky S-61 is a 24-passenger helicopter that has been converted into a fire-bombing chopper. 

Utilizing a 200’ long line and a 1,000-gallon bucket, the helicopter dips water from rivers and lakes and provides aerial assistance in firefighting. 

Read more on this story at the Merritt Herald

Latest Print Edition

Latest Articles

Related articles

00:00
00:00