Coulson waterbomber signs provincial contract – Alberni Valley News

Coulson says he has been talking to the province for the last 90 days about recalling the aircraft into service but the government didn’t think it needed the help until about a week ago.

The pilots who are test flying it will be the ones who would conduct the operation if the provincial government decides to use the aircrafts.

The aircraft is in Port Alberni and is near to a fire burning in Sproat Lake Provincial Park. In a statement to KelownaNow.com, the Ministry says they have a “master standing offer with the Coulson Group”, owners of the water bomber, for the piece of equipment.

“We have a contract with the government for the Mars and all we are waiting for is for them to order us up”, said Coulson in an email adding that the air tanker could be serviceable by Wednesday or Thursday.

According to the province, the Martin Mars is more limited in the types of fires it can fight and the bodies of water it can operate from. He said his company has sent all relevant information to the province, and that a deal could be in place sometime this week.

Minister of Forests Steve Thomson reiterated that sentiment earlier Monday to CTV, when he said that although the Martin Mars is an iconic resource, it is old. “What I can say today is that we are in discussions with the owner of the Martin Mars to see if something can be worked out as needed”. But with fires spreading across the province frustrations grew that the Hawaii Mars, which is the world’s largest water bomber, was not added to B.C.’s firefighting arsenal.

Working in tandem, the tankers can drop more than 54,000 litres on an initial attack and 27,000 every seven minutes afterwards, according to the Coulson Group’s website. The Coastal Fire Centre says that blaze has now destroyed an uninhabited cabin.

The province has already burned through its $60-million wildfire budget with months of hot, dry weather still to come.