VIDEO: B.C.'s largest air tankers called to fight Vernon wildfire

The two largest planes in the BC Wildfire Service's fleet were used to knock down the Westridge fire south of Vernon Monday afternoon (Sept. 7).

The fire was sparked just before 1 p.m. when a truck fire, on Highway 97, spread to the grass near Kalamalka Lake View Drive – fanned by strong gusting winds.

BC Wildfire Service firefighters worked to get the rapidly growing fire under control, and they were helped out in the air by two Avro RJ85 AT aircrafts, the largest, and only jet engine air tankers in the BC Wildfire Service fleet.

The large jets have a fire retardant tank capacity of 11,355 litres, also the largest in the fleet. With four engines, they can cruise at a speed of 380 knots while fully loaded. They're similar to the British Aerospace 146 aircraft, which is used to fight fires in the United States. 

BC Wildfire Service Fire Information Officer Karley Desrosiers says the large planes were used because they were available, and able to get to the fire from their base in Kamloops the quickest. A smaller "bird dog" aircraft was also used on Monday's Westridge fire. 

After growing to about 25 hectares in size, the fire is now classified as under control.

The Avros were added to the BC Wildfire Service's fleet this year, having last been used in the province during 2017's record-breaking wildfire season.

The BC Wildfire Service also added a six-plane skimmer group to the fleet this year, for an overall 15 per cent increase in retardant capacity.

B.C. has seen a dramatically reduced wildfire season in 2020, compared to recent years, largely due to a wet spring and early summer.