Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
The economic losses occasioned by forest fires in Canada are serious. Although the forest lands are largely under the jurisdiction of the provincial governments the forest resources are of national interest. For this reason the federal government, through the Department of Forestry, carries out a national programme of forestry research. The research in forest fire control encompasses the use of aircraft. This paper reviews the early developments in the use of aeroplanes in Canadian forestry operations. The more recent developments of direct fire suppression techniques, such as water dropping, are discussed in detail.