Fighting BC Wildfires 24-7

Night Vision Tech Extends BC Wildfire Fight into the Darkness

May 26 2026 - As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense, the BC Wildfire Service is deploying cutting-edge night vision technology to keep fighting fires around the clock.

Night Vision Tech Extends BC Wildfire Fight into the Darkness

Using Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS), specially trained flight officers and pilots can now operate after dark, when fire activity often eases due to cooler, more humid conditions.

Equipped with night-vision goggles and compatible helicopters, including heavy tankers capable of precise water drops, the teams detect new ignitions kilometers away, map fire perimeters, relay real-time intelligence, to ground crews, and continue suppression efforts that would otherwise pause until sunrise.

The program, which began trials in 2019 and became operational in 2024, proved its value quickly: crews flew dozens of missions that year and scaled up dramatically in 2025 with an expanded fleet and more trained personnel, completing hundreds of night operations.

This week, the service is conducting training flights near Stake Lake, southwest of Kamloops, using controlled pile burns to sharpen skills in low-light detection and aerial attack coordination.

Residents may notice increased aircraft activity in the area.

“Wildfires don’t rest at sunset and neither do we,” the service emphasizes. By extending the operational window, NVIS helps protect communities more effectively while maximizing the impact of every water drop.

This advance represents a significant leap in aerial wildfire management for British Columbia.

Fighting BC Wildfires 24-7