Without a nearby water bomber in Lab West, MHA wants service finally returned to area

CBC
·2 min read
Jordan Brown, MHA for Labrador West, is suspicious of the mechanism used by the provincial government to purchase power from Kruger's generating facility in Deer Lake. (Ryan Cooke/CBC - image credit)
Jordan Brown, MHA for Labrador West, is suspicious of the mechanism used by the provincial government to purchase power from Kruger's generating facility in Deer Lake. (Ryan Cooke/CBC - image credit)
Jordan Brown, MHA for Labrador West, is suspicious of the mechanism used by the provincial government to purchase power from Kruger's generating facility in Deer Lake.
Jordan Brown, MHA for Labrador West, is suspicious of the mechanism used by the provincial government to purchase power from Kruger's generating facility in Deer Lake.

Labrador West MHA Jordan Brown: 'I would like to have my water bomber back.' (Ryan Cooke/CBC)

As the forest fire season formally begins, the MHA representing western Labrador is calling on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to put back in place a local resource that had been in place for more than three decades.

"I would like to have my water bomber back," Labrador West MHA Jordan Brown said Thursday.

"That would be a great step forward is to give us back our water bomber that was in Labrador West since the Eighties."

Brown pointed out that none of the province's four water bombers has been stationed in the area since 2018.

Brown, who told the House of Assembly that the climate in the vast terrain of western Labrador has changed, said Environment Canada has already listed Labrador West in drought condition.

"We've had very little snowpack this year. The forests are drying up very quickly in Labrador West," said Brown, who had raised the issue in the House of Assembly and later spoke about it with reporters.

A water bomber flies over Cappahayden on the weekend.
A water bomber flies over Cappahayden on the weekend.

One of Newfoundland and Labrador's four water bombers is assigned to Labrador, and is currently based in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. (Submitted by Bruce Mactavish)

Brown said massive fires in neighbouring Quebec last year threatened to spread into western Labrador.

Forestry Minister Elvis Loveless said a water bomber is stationed in central Labrador, and it can be moved, if necessary.

"Right now, it is in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and if it needs to be moved because of the risk assessment that's done by the valuable employees in the department, then it will be moved to that risk area," Loveless told the legislature.

"The concern in Labrador is taken seriously," said Loveless. "We will ensure that Labrador has the lens that is required in terms of focus of being ready to fight fires if they do happen in Labrador or any part of this province."

The province's forest fire season officially began on May 1 across Newfoundland, and Wednesday in Labrador. It remains in effect until Sept. 30.