Not everyone can produce water bombers. As wildfires surge across Canada once again this year, governments are facing renewed pressure to bolster firefighting resources. Central to these efforts is the urgent need for additional water bombers. However, due to a backlog in production and rising global demand, it will be several years before newly ordered aircraft are operational.
Provinces Scramble to Address Gaps in Fire Response
This year’s wildfire season has already forced thousands of evacuations and prompted multiple provinces to revisit their emergency preparedness strategies. In Saskatchewan, where premiers met this week to discuss infrastructure and wildfire response, provincial leaders acknowledged the strain current conditions are placing on air resources.
Manitoba is among the hardest-hit provinces. Officials there confirmed that while help has arrived from across Canada, the need for more aerial firefighting capability remains urgent. The province has already committed $80 million toward three new water bombers, but these aircraft are not expected to be delivered until the early 2030s.
Manitoba authorities have described the situation as increasingly demanding, noting that future wildfire seasons are likely to resemble current conditions. As a result, long-term investments in aerial firefighting are being prioritized despite delivery timelines stretching several years ahead.
Production Bottlenecks Slow Fleet Expansion
The majority of Canada’s aerial firefighting fleet relies on CL-series water bombers, including the CL-415 and the older CL-215 models. These amphibious aircraft can scoop water directly from nearby lakes, making them especially effective in forested areas. Despite their usefulness, new models have been slow to enter production.
Manufacturing of the CL-415 model ceased years ago after the original developer transferred rights to a new company. In 2022, a production facility was established near Calgary to build a modernized version of the aircraft, but the company has received a surge of international orders, including several from European nations.
With European orders submitted earlier, Canadian provinces have found themselves further back in the queue. While production has now resumed, meeting demand is expected to take years. The manufacturer is working to scale operations, but aircraft delivery timelines remain long, particularly for governments placing orders in the last year or two.
Ontario, for instance, has confirmed plans to expand its water bomber fleet. The province currently operates around a dozen such aircraft and has placed an order for additional units. However, delivery is not expected for several years due to ongoing production delays.
Provinces Turn to Alternative Solutions
With new aircraft years away, some provinces are looking at interim measures to strengthen their response capabilities. One approach has been to restore older planes that were previously retired from service. In eastern Canada, at least one province has committed to repairing a CL-415 that had been grounded for several years. This decision reflects a broader trend of attempting to maximize the use of existing equipment amid growing wildfire risks.
Other regions are reportedly salvaging parts from decommissioned aircraft to keep aging fleets in operation. This patchwork maintenance strategy underscores the current challenges of limited inventory, long replacement timelines, and escalating wildfire frequency.
Calls for a National Firefighting Strategy
The scale and intensity of recent wildfires have renewed calls for a coordinated national approach to firefighting. Several provincial leaders have suggested that Canada needs a unified strategy to ensure aircraft and other resources are distributed efficiently during emergency events.
Under the current system, provinces manage their own firefighting fleets independently. While interprovincial cooperation does occur during peak fire periods, decision-makers argue that a centralized strategy could reduce duplication and ensure rapid deployment where it is most needed.
Experts have warned that climate change is intensifying wildfire activity across the country. As a result, the need for well-equipped and coordinated firefighting operations is becoming more urgent with each passing season.
Looking Ahead, for Water Bomber Deliveries
While efforts are underway to increase Canada’s aerial firefighting capacity, the path forward includes significant delays. Even as manufacturing restarts and provinces place orders, the immediate future will rely heavily on existing equipment and emergency cooperation.
As fire seasons continue to lengthen and become more unpredictable, strengthening national preparedness and ensuring access to essential firefighting aircraft will remain critical challenges. Addressing these gaps in a timely and coordinated manner may be key to safeguarding communities in the years ahead.