Quebec-based pilots are fighting high winds and heavy turbulence as they battle the massive wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area, while on the ground Canadians with homes in the area are being forced to flee ahead of fast-moving flames.
Pascal Duclos, head pilot for the Quebec government91裸聊视频檚 aerial service, said he spent several hours in the air on Tuesday, dumping dozens of loads of water over fire-devastated areas from his plane.
91裸聊视频淲hat I saw was houses that were in flames, cars that were in flames, people watering their roofs, who were trying to save the building, a lot of people on the ground, firefighters trying to get down a path to get to the source of the fire,91裸聊视频� he said Wednesday in a video interview.
Duclos, who has been travelling to L.A. for 14 years as part of a government contract, says extreme dryness and winds in the region have created fast-moving flames and 91裸聊视频渆xtreme91裸聊视频� turbulence that have pushed their planes to the limit. When refilling, the sheer number of aircraft, as well as people on the ground 91裸聊视频� some of them civilians fleeing the flames 91裸聊视频� combine to create an 91裸聊视频渋ntense91裸聊视频� situation, he said.
The planes in the air include a pair of Canadian-made water bombers belonging to the Quebec government, as well as helicopters belonging to B.C.-based Coulson Aviation, which the company says are 91裸聊视频渙n the front line91裸聊视频� of the fight. Coulson said in a social media post that its crews are 91裸聊视频渂raving high winds and challenging conditions91裸聊视频� in the fight against the largest fire.
Thousands of firefighters were tackling multiple blazes that had killed at least two people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures across the Los Angeles area as of Wednesday morning, according to Los Angeles County91裸聊视频檚 fire chief.
Canadians including Our Lady Peace singer Raine Maida and his family were among the more than 70,000 people forced to flee their homes. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e evacuated currently and our canyon is on fire,91裸聊视频� Maida told The Canadian Press.
Actor Eugene Levy, another prominent Canadian in L.A., told the Los Angeles Times that he faced gridlocked traffic as he attempted to vacate the area amid 91裸聊视频渂lack and intense91裸聊视频� smoke.
Dayn Nanda, a Toronto-born talent booker living in West Hollywood, described the view from his apartment as 91裸聊视频渁pocalyptic.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淓ven just looking out of my window, the sky is full of black clouds and there91裸聊视频檚 a noticeable difference in air quality,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he winds are crazy. Things are falling over and breaking on my balcony.91裸聊视频�
Nanda said he moved to the city three years ago and knew wildfires were something to expect, but didn91裸聊视频檛 imagine he91裸聊视频檇 ever experience anything of this magnitude. While he wasn91裸聊视频檛 personally affected by the blaze, he said several colleagues have lost homes.
The 30-year-old said he posted on social media to offer his spare bedroom to anyone displaced by the fire.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e all going to come together and try to help each other in any way that we can. None of the glitz and glamour of L.A. matters at the end of the day,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about your family. This really brings to light the things that matter, because all the material stuff you can lose in an instant. Life can change in a blink of an eye.91裸聊视频�
Coulson, which is based in Port Alberni, B.C., but also operates in the United States and Australia, said aircraft involved in fighting the fire include its double-rotor Chinook fleet and a smaller Sikorsky S-76 helicopter. The company91裸聊视频檚 social media post included a screen shot showing the flight paths of three of its water-bombing helicopters swirling repeatedly over the neighbourhood.
A spokesperson for Quebec91裸聊视频檚 Transport Department said the province91裸聊视频檚 current California contingent includes the two planes as well as eight pilots and four technicians.
The Canadian-made CL-415 planes and their pilots and maintenance crews are sent to California every fall as part of an annual contract in place since 1994. The contract normally begins in September and lasts for between 90 and 180 days, with crews rotating in and out to ensure staffing.
Quebec Public Security Minister Fran莽ois Bonnardel posted a message of support on X to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying the province is ready to send additional firefighters to the state if they are needed.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which is operated by fire management agencies across Canada, said it has no resources deployed to the California firefighting effort, and there were no 91裸聊视频渁nticipated requests.91裸聊视频�
The disaster prompted the NHL to postpone a Los Angeles Kings home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. The Kings saluted the hard-working first responders who are trying to contain the fires and protect the community.
91裸聊视频淲e appreciate the league91裸聊视频檚 support in keeping our fans, staff, and players safe,91裸聊视频� the team said in a statement.
