CHON-FM Covers Aircraft Fire Retardant Training at Whitehorse Air Tanker Base

Thursday, 16 May 2019 18:33

CHON-FM was at the Whitehorse air tanker base to cover a practice involving transferring fire retardant from tanks into a Lougheed Electra L-188 aircraft. The fire retardant was then dumped onto the tarmac.

CHON-FM covered a practice in which fire retardant was transferred from tanks to a Lougheed Electra L-188 aircraft at the Whitehorse air tanker base near the airport this afternoon at around 4 pm. The fire retardant was then dropped from the plane. According to Mike Fancie, Fire Information Officer for Yukon Wildland Fire Management, the mix-master training is intended to certify personnel to ensure they're trained to national standards.

Air Attack Officer Walter Nehring says the L-188 Electra holds 11,365 litres of fire retardant. It has a 99 foot wingspan, and is approximately 105 feet in length. The retardant is dropped at 130 feet off "the deck" (the treetops).

The firefighting aircraft is based in the Yukon at Whitehorse, Watson Lake, and Dawson City.

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