No Result
View All Result
AerialFire
  • Articles
    • Columns
    • Cover Stories
    • Drone/UAS
    • Feature Stories
    • Fire Regulations
    • Government
    • Ground Ops
    • Helicopter
    • International Operations
    • LAT
    • Press Release
    • Retardant
    • SEATs
    • Technology
    • VLAT
    • Wildfire
  • Store
  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
Subscribe
AerialFire
  • Articles
    • Columns
    • Cover Stories
    • Drone/UAS
    • Feature Stories
    • Fire Regulations
    • Government
    • Ground Ops
    • Helicopter
    • International Operations
    • LAT
    • Press Release
    • Retardant
    • SEATs
    • Technology
    • VLAT
    • Wildfire
  • Store
  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
Subscribe
AerialFire
No Result
View All Result
Home Aerial Fire News

Canada Urged to Equip Military Helicopters with Bambi Buckets

by AerialFire Staff
September 5, 2023
in Aerial Fire News, Press Release
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Not Enough Cash and Equipment to Contain Multiple Forest Fires Says Sri Lanka

Delta, B.C. – For the past 40 years, SEI Industries’ core business has been the production of wildfire suppression equipment. In recent years, we have become concerned that, despite the hard work and dedication of thousands of staff and contractors, climate change is quickly outpacing the resources available to provincial wildfire agencies across Canada.

During extreme wildfire events, more than 50 countries, including the USA, the United Kingdom and many parts of Europe, use their military helicopters, equipped with Bambi Buckets, to fight wildfires. Canada is not one of those countries.

Although Canada’s military helicopters often deploy to wildfires to assist with the movement of people and equipment, these aircraft do not actually fly any firefighting missions – unlike the strategy used by more than 50 other countries around the world.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), with its fleet of more than 100 capable, and proven helicopters, are not equipped with Bambi Buckets, or any other kind of fire suppression capability that could help civilian authorities in emergencies. We have recently reached out to MLAs, MPs, mayors, First Nations leaders and the Prime Minister to encourage officials to consider equipping Canada’s military helicopter fleet – using the same Bambi Bucket that 50 other countries have already used successfully on their military aircraft for wildfire fighting.

Invented and manufactured in B.C. by SEI Industries, the Bambi Bucket is used in 110 countries to help fight wildfires through strategic and precisely targeted water and retardant drops. Almost every wildfire helicopter operator in Canada is equipped with a Bambi Bucket and our largest model can drop more water than some water bombers.

Mutual aid

In extreme fire seasons, such as 2021 and 2023, wildfire resources can be expanded through mutual aid agreements or contracts (with other provinces or countries). However, in the future, we are concerned that, with climate change creating more frequent and aggressive wildfires worldwide, many of these resources will be kept at home as they battle their own fires.

So far, this year, 11 countries from six continents (all but Antarctica) have sent a total of 3,200 firefighters to Canada but many noted that they could only do that because their own country was having a slow fire season. This Washington Post article delves into why this may not be sustainable.

 

There is also a global shortage of pilots which means that integrating military pilots into wildfire fighting duties would help to bolster that resource. Early in the 2023 wildfire season, some helicopter pilots in B.C. were already “timed out” and sat on the ground having used up their limit of hours as mandated by Transport Canada (for safety reasons, there are both daily and monthly hourly limits for pilots).

Meanwhile, in more than 50 countries, the integration of military pilots into state and national wildfire services has already been completed successfully with military pilots finding the firefighting missions to be challenging and a great addition to their flying skillset.

According to research, Russia, Canada, Brazil, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the top five countries in the world facing the highest risk of forest fire.

Many experts say wildfire no longer has a “season.” It is all year long, thanks to climate change.

“Looking forward, we know that the mix of climate change and wildfire is going to outstretch our resources and likely that of mutual aid partners as well. At present, we have one untapped resource, namely 100 military helicopters, that could become an “option of last resort.” Canada is behind 50 other countries who have already taken advantage of that option.” – Paul Reichard, Remote Site Division Manager, SEI Industries

“With the utmost respect for all that our military pilots do for Canada already, we hope our proposed idea of integrating them into wildfire fighting as “surge capacity” will act as a catalyst to better protect communities and natural resources as well as, hopefully, increase recruitment and support for the RCAF.” – Robin Cnudde, Regional Manager, SEI Industries

Source: SEI Press release

Tags: Aerial FirefightingBambi BucketSEI

AerialFire Staff

AerialFire Magazine strives to provide you with breaking aerial firefighting industry news and information.

Related Posts

TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season

TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season

by AerialFire Staff
May 28, 2025

ABBOTSFORD, CANADA (May 27, 2025) – Conair Group Inc. (Conair) has deployed two Daher TBM 960 Air Attack aircraft for...

Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters

Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters

by AerialFire Staff
May 27, 2025

● Simulator based on the complex S-64E helicopter, designed for specialized firefighting training. ● Equipped with complete ENWALL LED technology,...

Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness

Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness

by AerialFire Staff
May 23, 2025

Mosgiel, NZ, May 23, 2025 - Tabula, a leading provider of job management and fleet tracking solutions for aerial operations, has...

Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft

Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft

by AerialFire Staff
May 22, 2025

ALICANTE, Spain – May 22, 2025: Avincis, Europe’s leading provider of emergency aerial services, has been awarded new wildfire response...

Trending News

No Content Available
TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season
Press Release

TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season

by AerialFire Staff
May 28, 2025
Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters
Aerial Fire News

Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters

by AerialFire Staff
May 27, 2025
Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness
Aerial Fire News

Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness

by AerialFire Staff
May 23, 2025
Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft
International Operations

Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft

by AerialFire Staff
May 22, 2025
AerialFire

© 2025 AerialFire, a Marsayl Media Publication. All rights Reserved.

Navigate Site

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Store
  • Current Issue
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us

© 2025 AerialFire, a Marsayl Media Publication. All rights Reserved.

Skip to content
Open toolbar Accessibility Tools

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase TextIncrease Text
  • Decrease TextDecrease Text
  • GrayscaleGrayscale
  • High ContrastHigh Contrast
  • Negative ContrastNegative Contrast
  • Light BackgroundLight Background
  • Links UnderlineLinks Underline
  • Readable FontReadable Font
  • Reset Reset