The Martin Mars waterbomber is headed to Fort McMurray to fight fires burning north of the Alberta city. The waterbomber crew left Port Alberni on Friday afternoon (June 3).
A Fort McMurray news website, myMcMurray.com, stated that Sustainable Resource Development called on the BC provincial government for airside help from the waterbombers.
The waterbomber will be based at Gregoire Lake. The "flying tankers" are under contract to the provincial government until the end of the summer, Coulson Flying Tankers chief operating officer Jim Messer said last month.