There are a number of improvements to the wildfire aircraft hangar in La Ronge. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Improvements complete

Hangar expansion in La Ronge to improve aerial firefighting capacity

Sep 26, 2019 | 4:58 PM

Environment Minister Dustin Duncan was at the La Ronge Airport on Thursday to celebrate the completion of a four-year, $14 million expansion of Wildfire Management’s Aviation Operations hangar.

With the addition of more than 30 feet of space, the expanded hangar is about 40 per cent larger and includes a resurfaced floor, an office and training centre. It will also feature new equipment such as an overhead crane, full-foam sprinkler system and a 60,000-gallon water tank for fire suppression and domestic water use. The project also includes new bottom-roller hangar doors and upgrades to the hangar and tanker base aprons.

“The need for the extra space is obvious when you see the size of some of the aircraft maintained here,” Duncan said. “Today is the accumulation of four years of hard work by a fantastic team of people, some of whom are with us this afternoon to share in this event. The team was large and diverse including government staff from central services and environment and, in particular, our wildfire management and aviation operations. It also included architects, engineers, contractors and others. It’s a tribute to them that they [were] able to deliver a project of this magnitude and complexity on time and within budget, while continuing to deliver a critical public service.”

The improvements are part of a renewal initiative to enhance the province’s aerial firefighting capacity. Fleet renewal will continue with the purchase of an additional CL215T water-scooping air tanker. The $38 million aircraft will replace Saskatchewan’s last piston engine tanker and is expected to be delivered in time for the 2023 wildfire season.

NDP MLA and Environment Critic Yens Pedersen also commented on Thursday’s announcement and he stated the forests in northern Saskatchewan are important to all residents of the province. He added, however, he doesn’t believe the Sask. Party is treating climate change seriously and aren’t living up to the expectations of Saskatchewan residents or the rest of the world.

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Environment Minister Dustin Duncan announced the completion of the project. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

The improvements include bottom-roller hangar doors. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“I guess what I would say, though, is more importantly the ministry and the government is missing the boat on climate change, and that’s a real concern because climate change and global warming are really threatening our boreal forest and putting those at risk,” Pedersen said. “Tomorrow there is going to be another student climate strike in front of the Legislature [including] students who have taken time off from school to demand action. Once again, we expect the premier and Minister Duncan and frankly every other member of government to be absent and missing from that discussion.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno