Published 3 hours ago • loading... • Updated 47 minutes ago
B.C. Conservative Interim Leader Doerkson Promises to Buy Firefighting Water Bombers
Lorne Doerkson says the plan would buy $500 million in water bombers and add early detection technology to reduce wildfire risk.
On Thursday, Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson promised to spend half a billion dollars on a Crown-owned water bomber fleet and artificial intelligence technology if the party is elected in British Columbia on October 24.
The announcement occurred near a rural property in Faulder that burned last month during the Bald Range wildfire, which destroyed more than 80 homes and forced thousands to flee from nearby Summerland.
Doerkson's Wildfire Action Plan seeks to reduce dangerous forest fuels, speed up prescribed burns, and create a dedicated fund for early detection and prevention technologies.
Joined by candidate Tracy St. Claire and property owner Joel Patan, Doerkson argued a provincial fleet will save money by renting aircraft to other jurisdictions when not needed for domestic fires.
Meanwhile, New Democrat Leader David Eby campaigned in the Okanagan, announcing separate plans to improve affordability by implementing price caps on grocery items such as milk, butter, and eggs.