Saskatchewan unveils first of four new firefighting planes

Saskatchewan has unveiled a Dash-8 Q400 multi-role airtanker, the first of four replacing its aging CV-580s under a $187-million deal with B.C.'s Conair Group. The plane, the first of its kind in Canadian wildfire fleets, can drop 10,000 litres of water or retardant and also carry cargo, crews and evacuees. Minister Michael Weger expects it to be flying in the 2027 wildfire season. McGill aviation lecturer John Gradek noted the plane must refill at airports rather than scoop from lakes, and called the province's six water bombers, averaging about 40 years old, a ticking time bomb that needs replacing soon.