Thunder Bay airport a hot spot for Iqaluit firefighters in training

Black smoke could be seen billowing from Thunder Bay's airport for the last couple of days, but there's no need to panic.

It's a training exercise, for firefighters coming from as far away as Iqaluit, Nunavut.

Other airport firefighters from Sudbury and London, Ont. werealsoin the city over the past week, taking part in annual training.

But this isn't new, firefighters from London and Quebec City regularlyvisit Thunder Bay's airport to take part in simulated training.

"We have a training facility like none other. We use a fuel called tech-flame fuel, which is a naphtha-based fuel, and it makes the situations as real as possible," said Casey Nelson, an airport operations specialist at the Thunder Bay International Airport.

"By spraying down the raw fuel, and actually fighting a fuel fire versus propane, which you can shut off."

"Here, you have to work for your money and actually put the fire out."

Nighttime fires: 'a different beast'

Nelson said airport firefighters have different challenges than traditional fire departments, as they generally have to deal with more fuels and chemicals.

He said the skin of an aircraft can burn in about 60 seconds, if conditions are right.

Neil Kigutaq is one of the two firefighters in the city from Iqaluit.

He was taking part in an exercise that had him fighting the flames at night.

"Doing it at night is a different beast, and it helps recognize some of the things you wouldn't really recognize in the daytime. Not being able to see the terrain in front of you is a big one that we were able to experience last night."

Nelson said the firefighters will knock down the simulated blaze, lit with 400 litres of fuel in about two minutes. He said the fire trucks at the airport can carry as much as 6,000 litres of water, and carry 660 lbs of foam and dry chemicals on board.

Superior Morning6:54Airport Fire Fighting Training

They may not want to ever face the challenge of putting out a aircraft on fire, but a couple of firefighters are up to the challenge of learning how to do it. We'll hear about a training exercise at the Thunder Bay International Airport.