Quebec-based pilots face extreme conditions as they combat massive wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area. Pascal Duclos, head pilot for the Quebec government's aerial service, describes the harrowing scenes of burning homes, cars, and frantic efforts to contain the flames. Meanwhile, Canadians with homes in the region are forced to evacuate ahead of the rapidly advancing fire lines.
Quebec -based pilots are fighting high winds and heavy turbulence as they battle the massive wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area, while on the ground Canadians with homes in the area are being forced to flee ahead of fast-moving flames.
Duclos, who has been travelling to L.A. for 14 years as part of a government contract, says extreme dryness and winds in the region have created fast-moving flames and “extreme” turbulence that have pushed their planes to the limit. When refilling, the sheer number of aircraft, as well as people on the ground — some of them civilians fleeing the flames — combine to create an “intense” situation, he said.
Canadians including Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida and his family were among the more than 70,000 people forced to flee their homes. “We’ve evacuated currently and our canyon is on fire,” Maida told The Canadian Press. “Even just looking out of my window, the sky is full of black clouds and there’s a noticeable difference in air quality,” he said. “The winds are crazy. Things are falling over and breaking on my balcony.”
“We’re all going to come together and try to help each other in any way that we can. None of the glitz and glamour of L.A. matters at the end of the day,” he said. “It’s about your family. This really brings to light the things that matter, because all the material stuff you can lose in an instant. Life can change in a blink of an eye.”
The Canadian-made CL-415 planes and their pilots and maintenance crews are sent to California every fall as part of an annual contract in place since 1994. The contract normally begins in September and lasts for between 90 and 180 days, with crews rotating in and out to ensure staffing.
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