Abbotsford International Airshow may face delays due to wildfires
Firefighting planes take priority for refueling, but could give audience a bonus spectacle
The precise timing of aerial displays at the Abbotsford international Airshow may be disrupted this weekend, as show planes wait in line behind firefighters to refuel.
The city's airport, used in the airshow, also serves as a base for planes used in the province's fire fighting efforts in the Fraser Valley.
Jim Reith, the president of the airshow, said airplanes fighting wildfires will get priority to land and the show may have to be suspended temporarily while planes fighting the Harrison Lake wildfire pick up more fire retardant.
There could be an upside for spectators, he added.
"If it does happen, they get to see the fire tankers in action coming in which most of the province doesn't actually get to see unless the fire is burning in their front yard."
B.C. Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says it's possible the show might be interrupted by firefighting efforts.
"We do have a facility there that we use for refueling our planes and also for reloading fire retardant onto them as well," he said. "So we're going to continue to have access to our facility and we're working closely with them to make sure we don't affect the airshow too much."
He hopes cooler temperatures in the coming days will help crews get the fire under control before Friday, when the show begins.
With files from Meera Bains