The annual Canadian Wildfire Conference was held October 26 in Kelowna, British Columbia, at the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence. The 2023 program showcased an expanded version of the conference hosted by Wings and Helicopters magazines for the past three years. The new conference highlighted a partnership between the aviation magazines and Firefighting in Canada and Canadian Firefighter, two other brands controlled by parent company Annex Business Media. It’s planned that this expanded partnership will provide a national platform uniting leaders in both ground and air wildfire suppression.
WINGS Magazine reported that what began as an aerial firefighting virtual event in 2020 — after it was dampened down by COVID — was followed by a 10-booth show in 
Abbotsford, BC the next year in 2021. Last year’s show in Kelowna included 25 booths and was one of the first events staged at the then-new KF Aerospace Centre. Kelowna is well-suited for such a conference because about 60 percent of all Canadian helicopter operators are within a few hundred miles of the city.
The expanded 2023 Canadian Wildfire Conference featured an impressive lineup of expert speakers, and attendees and exhibitors enjoyed the facilities at the KF Centre.
Exhibit space included 50 booths and numerous air and ground wildfire vehicles on the KF Centre ramp. The static display included a Super Puma AS332 Firecat from Coldstream Helicopters, Kodiak 900 from Daher Aerospace, and a Coulson Aviation modified Boeing 737-300 owned by the Argentine Government of Santiego Del Estero. Just weeks away from certification and delivery, the 737-300 is currently the largest airtanker in Canada with a payload of 15,141 litres — about 4000 (US) gallons. Six ground vehicles were on display, including modified wildfire trucks from Perimeter Solutions, Safetek Profire and Commercial Emergency Equipment, as well as a heliskid and two wildfire protection trailers.
A day before the conference at KF Centre, on October 25, an appreciation dinner welcomed fire managers who worked through the record-breaking season in Canada. Sponsored in part by Waterax, the dinner at the Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna also served as a fundraiser for SickNotWeak, an organization dedicated to mental health awareness.
The conference program on October 26 included more than 250 attendees and valuable discussions among air and ground professionals and government agencies. Read the full story (with photos) online by WINGS Magazine.