Rotary-wing aircraft is being used regularly on the Horsethief Complex of fires near Invermere, which includes the Horsethief Creek fire, the Yearling Creek fire and the Mia Creek fire.

The helicopters on the Horsethief complex are primarily responsible for water delivery to support ground crews on planned ignition operations and to provide bucketing support on areas of the fires showing increased fire behaviour.

To limit any interference with flight paths and to allow aircraft to focus on their objectives to support wildfire suppression the airspace is automatically flight restricted as per Section 601.15 of Canadian Aviation Regulations.

On the Horsethief Complex, the Air Operations Branch Director has worked with Transport Canada to modify the automatic boundaries of the restricted airspace.

This modified airspace is known as a formal NOTAM and information of all formal NOTAMs can be found at: https://plan.navcanada.ca/wxrecall/.

These airspace restrictions will have temporary impacts to local recreationalists, including some hang-gliding launch and landing sites.

Out of respect for the lives and safety of those responding to wildfires and in the interest of public safety, British Columbians are asked to keep their drones and all recreational aircraft well away from wildfires.

Learn more about the impacts of airspace incursions.

BC Wildfire Service photo

BC Wildfire Service

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