“There is no shortage of pilots at present”, according to Prime Minister François Legault.
The availability of tanker pilots to fight the raging fire in northern Quebec could soon pose a problem, acknowledges Premier François Legault.
Wednesday morning in Quebec City, while debriefing with SOPFEU and those responsible for firefighting operations, Mr. Legault said there was an issue.
After a certain number of hours on duty, pilots must take time off, raising fears of understaffing at the front.
Planes must also undergo checks after 50 flight hours.
“After a week, there will be issues [of lack of pilots]”, acknowledges Prime Minister François Legault.
However, the Prime Minister made it clear that the situation was under control for the moment, according to the report given to him by SOPFEU officials.
“I am told that, for now, we are using all the devices we have. There is no shortage of pilots at the moment, but after a week, there will be challenges.
—François Legault, Premier of Quebec
The Prime Minister said that his government has called on private companies, particularly in Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories, and in the United States.
To a question about the possibility of offering financial incentives to attract more pilots, Mr. Legault recalled that this was limited to the constraints of compliance with regulations and the obligation of rest for pilots and maintenance for aircraft.
Is the Prime Minister considering buying new air tankers? Recalling that his immediate concern is to deal with the situation in the short term, Mr. Legault indicated that he did not rule out looking at additional devices, but there are none available in Canada.
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister had alluded to the difficulty of maintaining some of the devices available in Quebec without specifying whether his government intended to do so. buy new planes.
