FOREST FIRE FURY

Sadly a helicopter pilot has crashed and is presumed dead after dropping into a river while filling his bucket with water. They have found his flight helmet and debris from the helicopter but have not yet found his body. updated August 15,2009

The forest fires in British Columbia were terrible again this year. Some from lightning strikes some from dumb@$$es who drop cigarette butts or people who had unmanaged camp fires.

These ones however were intentionally set by the people who are there to fight the fires.
Why you ask? This is a controlled burn to remove the fuel source before the fires can jump to a new area. Have the fire going up the hill and away from the towns and then when the uncontrolled fire comes over the hill there is nothing left to burn so it won't reach the buildings.
Great in theory. I sure hope they know what they are doing.
Mount McLean in the Canadian province of British Columbia was the site of this particular burn.
There have been evacuations in the numbering in the thousands in these areas.

Since April of this year 2,200 fires have burned 170,171 acres of forested land. Obviously drastic measures are needed.
Here you have the helicopter pilots who fly over the lakes to pick up water in huge buckets to dump or to spread fire retardants over the areas. They are taking a greatly deserved break in their flying to watch up close and personal as the fuel is burned away.