Vancouver Island company sending helicopters, crews to fight Amazon fires

A family company on Vancouver Island is sending support to South America to help contain the wildfires raging in the Amazon rainforest.

Coulson Aviation, based in Port Alberni, has three helicopters and crews currently heading to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, at the request of the Bolivian government to help with fire suppression efforts. All three aircraft and the Coulson team are expecting to arrive later this week and beginwork.

"We have large buckets and we basically are slinging water on top of the flames, working directly with on-the-ground firefighters," said Wayne Coulson, company president and CEO in an interview with CBC's On The Island.

Coulson called this action "direct attack"and said that while fire suppressant will be his teams' primary focus, two of the helicopters can seat 18 passengers and could also be used to removepeople fromharm's way.

Coulsonsaid the company,probably best-known for operating the Martin Mars water bombers, is "one of the go-to companies out there in the world of aviation" and was already helping Bolivia's defence ministry with itsown fleet of aircraft before the catastrophic blazes began this year.

"We have been down there multiple times over the last 36 months working on a suppressant system for their fleet," said Coulson."We know them and they know us."

According to Coulson, two of the three helicopters were passing through Puerto Rico Tuesdayon their way to Bolivia. The third aircraft is being airliftedto the Amazon.

Coulson said he plans to meet the helicopters and his crew in Santa Cruz on Thursday.

Anyone interested in following the progress of the team can look for daily video postings on the company's Facebook page.