Coulson begins 101-day night vision helitanker deployment in BC wildfire fight

Coulson Aviation Canada has begun a 101-day contract with Coulson Aviation supporting BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), providing a Sikorsky S-61 NVG helitanker for the 2026 wildfire season. Operations started 26 May in Kamloops after annual night vision imaging system (NVIS) training with BCWS aviation teams. The aircraft has already supported fire C10467 near Quesnel.

“Night aerial firefighting requires more than adding night vision technology to an aircraft,” said Britton Coulson, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Coulson Aviation. “It requires the right aircraft, experienced crews, proven procedures, and years of operational discipline. The S-61 Type 1 NVG helitanker delivers that complete capability, allowing crews to safely continue suppression efforts after dark.”

The S-61 is a Type 1 heavy-lift helitanker with a 4,000L belly tank, foam, and gel injection, and hover-fill capability for rapid turnaround from water sources, extending operations into night suppression windows.

Coulson Aviation recently launched a Boeing 767 Very Large Airtanker program.