Conair Selected for Canada's National Firefighting Fleet
Conair Group Inc. is proud to announce that the company is providing four Dash 8-400AT airtankers plus one TBM 960 Air Attack aircraft to Canada this wildfire season, including experienced aerial firefighting pilots plus trained aircraft maintenance engineers. The operational contract period runs May 1 to September 27, 2026.
The aircraft are contracted to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), who has secured the aerial assets to improve provincial and territorial wildfire response during periods of elevated wildfire activity, as part of the Government of Canada's commitment to increase Canada's aerial wildfire firefighting capacity.
"For six decades, Canada has been at the forefront of designing, building, and operating specialized aircraft to combat wildfires. Today the nation is building upon that legacy. For the first time, Canada has its own national fleet to bolster provincial and territorial firefighting capacity." said Chris Niemann, President and CEO, Conair.
Conair Dash 8-400AT 540 and 542 CanadaConair Dash 8-400 Airtanker Drop in Osoyoos BC - Photo Credit Gustav Klot Photography
"We are proud to be part of this moment in history, committed to supporting firefighters across the country using our aircraft, made in Canada and operated in Canada, supported by hundreds of Conair aerospace professionals."
"The government's investment comes at a critical time, as wildfire seasons grow longer and more severe. Leasing certified aircraft from established Canadian operators with proven safety records and modern avionics ensures the country is ready to respond when it matters most," said Michael Benson, Director of Business Development, Conair. "The Dash 8-400 is a proven platform, with more than two dozen operating worldwide. It delivers large retardant drops to slow fire progression, working alongside water scoopers to cool flames. It also operates from shorter runways closer to fire prone areas and reloads in just seven minutes."
Conair, headquartered in Canada, manufactures, owns, and operates the world's largest fleet of fixed-wing aerial firefighting aircraft. The Dash 8-400AT and the TBM 960AA are produced in Canada by Conair and exported around the world for contract or sale to government agencies.
"For nearly 60 years our highly skilled team has protected communities from wildfire, across Canada and abroad. We are currently manufacturing more than four Dash 8-400 airtankers each year, a production pace unmatched around the world. We are unique in that we are both an operator and a manufacturer, providing aerial firefighting expertise, OEM capability, and mission-focused aerospace engineering capability. And we can increase production if needed, working alongside government agencies as nations replace fleets and enhance existing water scooping capability with large retardant airtankers to strengthen overall wildfire resilience." said Benson.
In addition to firefighting, Conair also manufactures the Dash 8-400MRE multi role, which can be customized for governments, responding year-round, offering personnel transport, evacuation, medevac, cargo operations, surveillance and maritime domain awareness missions; or oil spill dispersal capability to help protect sensitive marine environment. This specialized aircraft provides governments with a rapidly deployable platform capable of supporting wildfire suppression, disaster response, humanitarian operations, and broader civil protection missions while complementing existing military and civilian response assets.
