New wildfire response program prepares for takeoff
A new provincial program designed to improve wildfire response, is set to get off the ground later this summer.
The Single Engine Aircraft Tanker program (SEAT), managed through the Ministry of Government Relations facilitates the use of commercial crop dusting companies to assist ground crews fighting fires. Accumark Airpsray which operates mainly out of the Nipawin airport, is among those who have signed up. Owner Travis Karle has been working with local MLA Fred Bradshaw for the past few years to get this program in place.
“There are agriculture operators, like myself, who have one or two or multiple turbine aircraft, and they are 500 gallon machines and that’s what they are fighting fires with all over the world,” he said.
The Ministry of Environment’s aircraft will still be used to fight fires in Northern Saskatchewan, but SEAT will be used in central and southern Saskatchewan. The cost of the SEAT resources will fall on the requesting organization. Karle said the crop dusters are very efficient and fast.