Police watchdog called in
Mayor calls 'BS' on list
U.S. authorities find bodies
Premier stands by pick
Canada's most-wanted list
Sask. will still get rebates
Santos ends comeback bid
Douglas C-54 plane crashes
Trump's 'eyes and ears'
US TikTok ban sent to Biden
Phish fans enter the Sphere
CN Rail profits fall 
Warriors snakebitten in loss
Iginla off to Europe
Rockets ink prospect
Alleged Tupac killer in court
Lawsuit accuses Megan
Bam Margera’s tour axed
A Kelowna-based company has been hired to help protect a northern Alberta community from nearby wildfires.
Wasp Wildfire Equipment Rentals has deployed three Type 2 Structure Protection Units to the town of Rainbow Lake in Alberta. The community of approximately 800 people is being threatened by the nearly 17,000 hectare Long Lake Wildfire, which is burning out of control.
Alberta Wildfire has deployed 66 firefighters to battle the blaze, along with heavy equipment and aircraft.
Wasp has been contracted by Cenovus, which has an oilsands facility nearby. Company president Randy Cowling says Cenovus is paying the full cost to protect the town of Rainbow Lake, which has approximately 300 to 400 homes.
He points out that the Type 2 designated Structure Protection Unit Trailers they use were originally designed by BC Wildfire Services after the Okanagan Mountain Park fire in Kelowna in 2003.
“The Type 2 units are normally deployed with a crew of five structure protection specialists, who are certified by BC Wildfire Services. However, for this deployment we sent equipment only with one crew leader, Darrell Pyke for all three trailers sent,” explained Cowling.
“This is because there is a shortage of available living quarters in Rainbow Lake and with the evacuation order in effect, the town didn't want to have to house and feed an additional 15 crew members.”
He said the town already had many volunteers, Cenovus and provincial firefighters in the community, however it was in need of the specialized equipment being deployed by Wasp.
The Residential Protection Kits feature gutter mount brackets. They are sold throughout Canada and the U.S. The company recently expanded into Australia and South Africa and plans to launch into the European Union in the next six months.
