The controlled ignitions were dropped on the Brunswick Creek complex wildfires, which are burning in the Boston Bar area.
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In the battle against one of the most significant forest fires of this summer, the B.C. Wildfire Service says that for the first time in Canada it has used a drone to ignite a controlled burn.
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“This weekend we successfully completed the first drone ignition operation on a wildfire in Canada at the Brunswick Creek complex,” it said in a social media post.
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The wildfire service said it began testing remotely piloted aircraft systems — i.e., drones — on prescribed fires several years ago with the intent of using them alongside traditional aircraft and to support ground crews.
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The drones use a plastic sphere dispenser to drop fire into specific areas “controlling the spacing and intensity of the fires and avoiding placing firefighters in challenging or dangerous terrain.”
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Once firefighters and ignition specialists were convinced they were effective and safe, they brought the drone systems into action at the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires, collectively referred to as the Brunswick Creek complex, this past weekend.
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“The drone used for ignition is accompanied by observation drones outfitted with infrared and imaging capabilities, which gives us project intelligence not just during ignitions but through all phases of operations,” said the wildfire service.
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Observation drones can send live video to firefighters to give them insight into tactics and crew safety. “For example, it can keep crews safer by not having to work in smoke and on steep slopes,” the service said.
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The high-resolution mapping and infrared visuals also improve situational awareness, “allowing us to see through the smoke to watch for ember transplant (flying embers that stretch a fire front into new areas), assess ignition effectiveness, and monitor fire behaviour.”
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The new technology improves firefighter safety and decision-making and helps the wildfire service “better protect communities and the environment,” it said.
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The two Brunswick complex blazes are among four wildfires of note at the moment, along with the Matthew Creek and Tower Creek fires in the Enderby area in southeast B.C.
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The Brunswick Creek complex continued to grow this past weekend, with Brunswick Creek now estimated at over 42 square kilometres and the adjacent Ainslie Creek at about 165 square kilometre. Brunswick has led to nine evacuation orders in the Boston Bar area, and both are subject to evacuation alerts in surrounding areas.
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The service estimates almost 34,000 lightning strikes hit B.C. in the latter half of last week, sparking dozens of new fires across the province. Rising temperatures and limited rain will further dry out forests and increase the likelihood of new wildfires in coming days.
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Smoky skies are expected to continue in many areas, worsening in the northeast and central parts of B.C.
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As of Tuesday, there are 85 wildfires burning across the province, most of which have sparked in the past week. Meanwhile, the wildfire service said 122 have been declared out in the past seven days, including 23 in the past 24 hours alone.
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