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2016 ISSUE 5 JUNE 30, 2016
Detecting hot spots in this way allows BC Wildfire Service personnel to quickly focus on specific areas, which reduces the amount of time that crews need to spend on the fireline and frees them up to move on to other wildfires or other types of work. According to Hummingbird
Drones president and CEO Robert Atwood, the goal even before the company approached the BC Wildfire Service was “to provide at least a 50 to 60% improvement over products already on the market”. Since company staff had a background in fighting wildfires, they were already aware of how the BC Wildfire Service functions and what information and products would be most useful for crews on the fireline. Hummingbird Drones offers proprietary firefighting technology, operational infrared scanning, fireline maps (updated daily) and on-site GIS and data processing. The company’s equipment consists of fully contained units and operators always work within a visual “line of sight” of the drone — at an average of 3.5 kilometres and within a maximum range of five kilometres. Safety is always a top priority and the company works closely with BC Wildfire Service aviation staff. In a carefully orchestrated process, the company operates its drone equipment either when firefighting aircraft are no longer airborne or they’re working on another part of the fire. The BC Wildfire Service is not only looking for another “eye in the sky”, but also for crucial data that this technology can provide. A drone with this data-gathering capability is just another tool that’s being tested to determine its effectiveness in wildfire management.
Drones
See detailed
weather forecast
page 8
In this Issue:
Drones
Aircraft—Heli-spotting
Fire Diary #3—
Helipad
Construction
Training
Page 1
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — commonly referred to as drones — have caused problems for the BC Wildfire Service in the past when they were improperly flown or when they illegally invaded the airspace over wildfires. However, drone technology can also be valuable tools for gathering information when the aircraft are used by professionals and are operated within very strict parameters. The BC Wildfire Service is participating in the second year of a pilot program that uses drones to capture thermal imaging scans of selected wildfires. Hummingbird Drones is the Kamloops-based company that has been contracted for this project. The program’s initial results have been good and further study is underway this year to evaluate the drone’s performance.
Last year, Hummingbird Drones worked on wildfires in the Coastal Fire Centre, including the Elaho fire. This year, the company has tested its equipment on fires in the Prince George Fire Centre (including the Beatton Airport Road fire). The key element of this pilot project is not the use of the drone itself, but the type of data that the company can gather by flying it over an active wildfire. As former wildland firefighters, the
company’s owners fully understand that this data can’t simply be “flyover” photos, since it’s not enough to just map the wildfire’s perimeter. The company has made a concerted effort to focus on pinpointing a fire’s hot spots to help ground crews find them, extinguish them and mop up the fire. Knowing where hot spots are located (and having that information available in a timely manner) allows firefighting personnel to concentrate on areas where the hot spots may not have been obvious to the naked eye. The ability to provide that information to crews before they hit the fireline at 6 a.m. is invaluable.
Page 2
Heli-spotting—Rotary Wing
For Information
about Wildfires
go to:
BC Forest Fire Info
Website
BCWildfire.ca
BCGovFireInfo
Bell 206B—The Bell 206 is a family of two-
bladed, single- or twin-engined helicopters,
manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel,
Quebec plant. It is considered a multi-purpose
utility helicopter.
Specifications:
Crew: one pilot
Capacity: four passengers
Length: 39 ft 8 in (12.11 m)
Rotor diameter: 33 ft 4 in (10.16 m)
Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.83 m)
Disc area: 872 ft² (81.1 m²)
Empty weight: 2,331 lb (1,057 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 3,200 lb (1,451 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Allison 250-C30P turboshaft,
420 shp; derated to 317 shp due to drivetrain
limitations (310 kW)
Bell 212—The Bell 212 Twin Huey (also known
as the Twin Two-Twelve) is a two-blade, twin-
engine, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968.
Based on the stretched fuselage Bell 205, the Bell
212 was originally developed for the Canadian
Forces as the CUH-1N and later re-designated as
the CH-135.
Specifications:
Crew: 1 (two for IFR operation)
Capacity: 14
Length: 57 ft 1.68 in (17.43 m)
Rotor diameter: 48 ft (14.64 m)
Height: 12 ft 6.83 in (3.83 m)
Disc area: 1,809.5 ft² (168.3 m²)
Empty weight: 6529.4 lb (2961.7 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 11,200 lb (5,080 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6T-3 or -3B turboshaft, 1,800 shp (1,342
kW)
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Performance:
Never exceed speed: 130 knots (241 km/h,
150 mph)
Maximum speed: 120 knots (222 km/h, 138
mph)
Range: 374 nmi (430 mi, 693 km)
Service ceiling: 13,500 ft (4,115 m)
Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s)
Performance:
Never exceed speed: 120 knots (138 mph, 223
km/h)
Maximum speed: 120 knots (138 mph, 223
km/h)
Cruise speed: 100 knots (115 mph, 186 km/h)
Range: 237 nm (439 km)
Service ceiling: 17,400 ft (5,305 m)
Rate of climb: 1,745 ft/min (532 m/min)
Disc loading: 6.19 lb/ft² (30.22 kg/m²)
Hughes 500—The MD Helicopters MD 500
series is an American family of light utility
civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500
was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian
version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach.
Specifications:
Overall Length ft. (m): 30.8 (9.4)
Rotor Diameter ft. (m): 26.4 (8.1)
Landing Gear Type: Skids
Gear Width ft. (m): 6.5 (1.2) high skid
Px. Seats: 4
Engines: Turbine (1)
Fuel Capacity standard litres: 242
Fuel Consumption 1/hr: 125
Max. Gross Weight lbs: 3000
Max External Load lbs.: 2000
HIGE: 8500 ft
HOGE: 6000 ft
Astar 350D B3—The Eurocopter AS350
(Squirrel) is a single-engine light helicopter
originally designed and manufactured in
France by Aérospatiale (now Airbus Helicop-
ters). In North America, the AS350 is mar-
keted as the AStar.
Specifications:
Crew: 1
Capacity: 5
Length: 10.93 m (35 ft 10½ in)
Rotor diameter: 10.7 m (35 ft 1 in)
Height: 3.14 m (10 ft 3½ in)
Disc area: 89.75 m² (966.1 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,174 kg (2,588 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Arriel 2B
turboshaft, 632 kW (847 shp)
Page 3
For Information
about Wildfires
go to:
BC Forest Fire Info
Website
BCWildfire.ca
BCGovFireInfo
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Performance:
Speed 152 knots (281 km/hr) Length 23 ft 2
inches
Width 4 ft 6 inches Rotor Diameter 26 ft 4
inches Passenger Seating 2-front 3-back Max
Gross 3000 lbs External Load 2000 lbs
Bucket Capacity 120 gals (410 litres)
Fuel Endurance 2.8 hrs (no reserve) Jet A
(Fuel)
Performance:
Never exceed speed: 287 km/h (155
knots, 178 mph)
Cruise speed: 245 km/h (132 knots, 152
mph)
Range: 662 km (357 nmi, 411 mi)
Endurance: 4.1 hrs
Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,100 ft)
Rate of climb: 8.5 m/s (1,675 ft/min) See detailed
weather forecast
page 8
Bell 204/205—the civilian versions of the Bell
UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopters.
They are type-certificated in the transport
category and are used in a wide variety of
applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting
and aerial firefighting.
Specifications:
Crew: one-two
Capacity: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) including up to
eight-nine passengers, or equivalent cargo
Length: 41 ft 8 in (12.69 m)
Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
Height: 14 ft 7 in (4.5 m)
Disc area: 1,808 ft² (168.0 m²)
Empty weight: 4,600 lb (2,085 kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Useful load: lb (kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,310 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming T53-L-11A
Vertol—Boeing Helicopters was created as
Boeing Vertol when the Vertol Aircraft
Corporation (formerly Piasecki Helicopter)
company of Morton, Pennsylvania was acquired
by Boeing in 1960; the Vertol name was an
abbreviation for Vertical Take Off and Landing.
Specifications:
Crew: five: two pilots, one crew chief, one
aerial gunner/observer, one tail gunner
Capacity: ** 24 troops or
15 stretchers and two attendants or
2270 kg (5,000 lb)
Length: 44 ft 10 in fuselage (13.66 m
Fuselage width: 7 ft 3 in (2.2 m)
Rotor diameter: 50 ft (15.24 m)
Height: 16 ft 9 in (5.09 m)
Disc area: 3,927 ft² (364.8 m²)
Empty weight: 11,585 lb (5,255 kg)
Loaded weight: 17,396 lb (7,891 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,300 lb (11,000 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T58-GE-16
turboshafts, 1,870 shp (1,400 kW) each
Page 4
For Information
about Wildfires
go to:
BC Forest Fire Info
Website
BCWildfire.ca
BCGovFireInfo
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Performance:
Never exceed speed: knots (mph, km/h)
Maximum speed: 120 knots (135 mph, 220
km/h)
Cruise speed: 111 knots (125 mph, 205 km/h)
Stall speed: knots (mph, km/h)
Range: 300 nm (mi, 533 km)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 166 mph (144 knots, 267
km/h)
Range: 633 mi (550 nmi, 1,020 km)
Ferry range: 690 mi (600 nmi, 1,110 km)
Service ceiling: 17,000 ft (5,180 m)
Rate of climb: 1,715 ft/min (8.71 m/s)
Disc loading: 4.43 lb/ft² (21.6 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.215 hp/lb (354 W/kg)
Kamov—a Russian rotorcraft manufacturing
company, founded by Nikolai Ilyich Kamov, who
started building his first rotary-winged aircraft in
1929, together with N. K. Skrzhinskii.
Specifications:
Overall Length ft. (m): 37.1 (11.3)
Rotor Diameter ft. (m): 52.1 (15.9)
Landing Gear Type: Wheels
Gear Width ft. (m): 11.5 (3.5) high skid
Px. Seats: Restricted
Engines: Turbine (2)
Fuel Capacity standard litres: N/A
Fuel Consumption 1/hr: 800
Max. Gross Weight lbs: 24,250
Max External Load lbs.: 11,000
HIGE: N/A
HOGE: 11,485 ft
Sikorsky Aircrane S64—The Sikorsky S-64
Skycrane is an American twin-engine heavy-lift
helicopter. It is the civil version of the United
States Army's CH-54 Tarhe. The S-64 Aircrane is
the current production version, manufactured by
the Erickson Air-Crane company.
Specifications:
Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot), plus one engineer or
rear-facing observer
Capacity: up to 5 total persons
Payload: 20,000 lb (9,072 kg)
Length: 70 ft 3 in (21.41 m (fuselage))
Rotor diameter: 72 ft 0 in (21.95 m)
Height: 18 ft 7 in (5.67 m)
Disc area: 4070 ft² (378.1 m²)
Empty weight: 19,234 lb (8,724 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 42,000 lb (19,050 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney JFTD12-4A
(T73-P-1) turboshaft engines, 4,500 shp
(3,555 kW) each
Page 5
For Information
about Wildfires
go to:
BC Forest Fire Info
Website
BCWildfire.ca
BCGovFireInfo
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Performance:
Maximum speed: 100 knots (185 km/h, 115
mph)
Cruise speed: 80 knots (148 km/h, 92 mph)
Range: 267 nmi (495 km, 307 miles)
Service ceiling: 15,000 feet (4,572 m)
Fuel consumption: 85 gallons/hour
Performance:
Maximum speed: 109 knots (126 mph,
203 km/h)
Cruise speed: 91 knots (105 mph, 169 km/h)
Range: 200 nmi (230 mi, 370 km) max fuel
and reserves
Rate of climb: 1,330 ft/min (6.75 m/s)
Bell 407—is a four-blade, single-engine, civil
utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4
LongRanger. In 1993, Bell began the
development of the New Light Aircraft as a
replacement for its Model 206 series. The
program resulted in the 407.
Specifications:
Crew: 1 pilot
Capacity: Typical seating configuration for
seven comprising pilot and passengers, with
five passengers in main cabin. Max hook
capacity 1200 kg (2645 lb).
Length: 41 ft 8 in (12.7 m)
Rotor diameter: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Height: 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Disc area: 962 ft² (89 m²)
Empty weight: 2,668 lb (1,210 kg)
Useful load: 2,347 lb (internal) (1,065 kg
(internal))
Max. takeoff weight: 6,000 lb (2,722 kg
Powerplant: 1 × Allison 250-C47B
turboshaft, 813 shp (606 kW)
Bell 214—is a medium-lift helicopter derived
from Bell Helicopter's ubiquitous UH-1 Huey
series. The Bell 214ST shares the same model
number, but is a larger, much-modified twin-
engine derivative.
Specifications:
Crew: 2
Capacity: 3,880 lb, including 14 troops, or 6
stretchers, or equivalent cargo
Length: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m))
Rotor diameter: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
Height: 12 ft 10 in (3.90 m)
Empty weight: 7,588 lb (3,442 kg)
Loaded weight: 13,800 lb (6,260 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 15,000 lb with slung
load (6,805 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming LTC4B-8D tur-
boshaft, 2,930 shp (2,185 kW)
Page 6
For Information
about Wildfires
go to:
BC Forest Fire Info
Website
BCWildfire.ca
BCGovFireInfo
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Performance:
Maximum speed: 140 knots (161 mp/h, 260
km/h)
Cruise speed: 133 knots (152 mp/h, 246 km/h)
Range: 324 nmi (372 mi, 598 km)
Service ceiling: 18,690 ft (5,698 m)
Performance:
Cruise speed: 140 knots (260 km/h, 161.5
mph)
Range: 255 mi (475 km)
Service ceiling: 16,400 ft density altitude
(5,000 m)
Eurocopter AS 350 B2 —Part of the Eurocopter
series but the B2 is a common helicopter used in
Coastal. Higher gross weight version powered by
one Arriel 1D1 engine over the B1 version with
aerodynamic strake fitted to tail boom along the
starboard side and angled engine exhaust duct for
better yaw control.
Specifications:
Speed 155 knots (287 km/hr)
Length 35 ft 9 inches
Width 6 ft 1 inch
Rotor Diameter 35 ft
Passenger Seating 2-front 4-back
Max Gross 4960 lbs External Load 2557 lbs
Bucket Capacity 150 gals (410 litres)
Fuel Endurance 4.5 hrs (no reserve) Jet A
(Fuel)
K Max—is an American helicopter with
intermeshing rotors (synchropter) built by Kaman
Aircraft. It is optimized for external cargo load
operations, and is able to lift a payload of over
6,000 pounds (2,722 kg), which is more than the
helicopter's empty weight.
Specifications:
Crew: one
Capacity: 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) external load
Length: 51 ft 10 in (15.8 m)
Rotor diameter: 48 ft 3 in (14.71 m)
Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Empty weight: 5,145 lb (2,334 kg)
Useful load: 6,855 lb (3,109 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 12,000 lb (5,443 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell T53-17
turboshaft, 1,341 kW (1,800 shp), flat rated
to 1,118 kW (1,500 shp) for take-off / 1,350
shp in flight
Page 7
For Information
about Wildfires
go to:
BC Forest Fire Info
Website
BCWildfire.ca
BCGovFireInfo
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Light Intermediate Medium Heavy
Performance:
Maximum speed: 287 km/hr/155 kts
Fast cruise speed: 246 km/hr/133 kts
Recommended Cruise Speed: 226 km/hr/122
kts
Endurance without Reserve at 100 km/hr—54
kts: 4 hrs, 24 minutes
Performance:
Maximum speed: 100 knots (185 km/h, 115
mph)
Cruise speed: 80 knots (148 km/h, 92 mph)
Range: 267 nmi (495 km, 307 miles)
Fuel consumption: 85 gallons/hour
Helipads are required to deploy crews and equipment to remote areas of the province where there is no other reasonable access. It is an operational necessity for helicopters to deploy crews and equipment at unprepared landing areas or at constructed temporary landing areas. These temporary landing areas are commonly referred to as a helispot or a helipad within the forest industry. To make these deployments as safe as possible, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews make every effort to select safe landing areas. They will also strive to construct solid, well anchored structures based on tried and true construction guidelines. In order to construct helipads that are safe and solid, crews learn to build these structures as part of their recurrency training. A helipad is a constructed temporary landing area with a constructed temporary landing surface in the center. They are used when a permanent landing area does not already exist. There are different classes of helipad, the terrain in any given location will dictate the type of helipad you need to construct. Crews are taught to locate the appropriate site, to select the proper materials and to construct the helipad to specific dimensions using a variety of construction methods as laid out during training. No two helipads will ever be exactly the same because they are built according to the sites requirements—access, height, slope and available timber. Crews are challenged to think through the various challenges each site presents before going ahead with construction.
This week in the Coastal Fire Centre the Pemberton Zone has been dealing with numerous lightning fires. On June 27, 2016, there was a band of lightning that went through Whistler and Pemberton. The result (so far) is 8 fires that the Zone is dealing with; 2 in Whistler and 6 in Pemberton. All of these fires are now in Mop-up, Patrol or Out but we expect there may be some holdover fires in the area. The public were quick to call in the fires and crews have been able to get to these fires and deal with as reports came in. Dozens of reports were called in regarding the fire at Mackenzie Basin. We would like to thank everyone who reported the fire including those who were out on the golf course, called in the fire and immediately got back to their golf game (in a lightning storm…). There is no campfire prohibition in place over the long weekend but the decision will be reviewed again on Monday to determine whether it is appropriate to enact one.
SYNOPSIS: Unseasonably warm and dry conditions continue throughout the majority of the region today while a southwesterly flow remains in control aloft. Isolated afternoon thundershowers may redevelop over the Tweedsmuir Park area again this afternoon (minor risk elsewhere). The remnants of a weakening cold front drift inland over the region tonight threatening with increased winds at times at upper elevations. Otherwise expect good recoveries at lower elevations. Bands of moisture entrained in a fairly stable westerly flow bring cloudy periods or a mix of sun and high clouds to many parts of the Island and North on Thursday while much of the Sunshine Coast, Pemberton and Fraser zones remain mainly sunny with similar or only slightly cooler temperatures & higher humidities than today (a more noticeable cooling trend should be seen on the Island and Mid Coast). Inflow/onshore winds are expected to pick up slightly on Thursday. Gusty winds are a possibility again at upper elevations Thursday night with the passage of the next (slightly stronger) cold front.
To Date
in Coastal
Fires to Date
Person
Caused 55
Lighting
Caused 9
Total
Number
of Fires 64
Fire Danger
Rating today
Current Prohibitions
(within BCWS
jurisdictional area)
Category 2
Open Fires are
prohibited within the
Coastal Fire Centre
except in the
Fog Zone and
Haida Gwaii.
Campfires are
allowed.
Page 8
Fire Diary #3—Helipad Construction Training
Weather At Coastal
