Alberta Invests $400M to Replace Aging Wildfire Fleet

CALGARY — The Alberta government has officially committed $400 million to purchase five state-of-the-art De Havilland DHC-515 water bombers. This massive capital investment aims to modernize a provincial fleet that hasn’t seen a significant upgrade since the late 1980s.

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Strategic Modernization

The current government-owned aircraft are nearly 40 years old. By shifting toward newer, high-capacity “Super Scoopers,” Alberta is preparing for an era of increasingly intense wildfire seasons.

• Capacity Boost: The DHC-515 can carry 6,137 litres of water, a 15% increase over its predecessors.
• Operational Efficiency: With a 15% increase in speed, these planes can reach fire lines faster and refill in as little as 12 seconds by skimming across the surface of local lakes.
• A Local Win: The aircraft will be manufactured at the De Havilland Field facility in Wheatland County, Alberta, supporting roughly 1,000 local jobs.

The Long Game

While the investment is immediate, the first of the five planes isn’t expected to hit the skies until 2031. Officials emphasize that this is a long-term strategy to ensure a “seamless handoff” from the existing fleet, ensuring the province isn’t left vulnerable as older planes are phased out.

The move signals a shift in Alberta’s wildfire strategy: moving away from a heavy reliance on short-term contracted aircraft and toward a robust, province-owned aerial arsenal.