Alberta Investing $400 Million in New Waterbombers to Fight Wildfires

The Alberta government has announced a major investment aimed at strengthening the province’s wildfire response. A new $400-million contract has been signed with De Havilland Canada to build five new waterbombers right here in Alberta.

These aircraft will play a critical role in battling wildfires by scooping water from nearby lakes and dropping it directly onto flames. They also work alongside other contracted planes that deliver fire retardant to help slow the spread of fires.

Currently, Alberta operates a fleet of 18 airtankers stationed across 13 bases throughout the province to ensure fast response times. The addition of these new aircraft is expected to further strengthen Alberta’s ability to protect communities during wildfire season.

Premier Danielle Smith said the investment is focused on both safety and economic benefits, noting the locally built planes will help create hundreds of skilled jobs while improving emergency readiness.

This new spending comes on top of the province’s existing annual wildfire response budget of about $160 million. The first of the new waterbombers is expected to be delivered by spring 2031.

With wildfire seasons becoming more intense in recent years, the province says the investment is designed to ensure Alberta is better prepared to respond quickly and effectively when fires threaten communities.