Wildfires have already started to burn across Canada this year, forcing thousands to evacuate in communities like Fort McMurray, Alta., and Fort Nelson, B.C. One expert said he’s worried the backbone of Canada’s efforts to fight the flames may struggle if the country experiences a summer like 2023, which was the worst wildfire season ever recorded, when 18.5 million hectares of land burned. “The water tanker fleet is old,” said John Gradek, an aviation industry expert and lecturer at McGill University’s aviation management program. “There are no similar pieces of equipment being built.” Global News asked every provincial and territorial government about the number, type and age of their firefighting aircraft. Some governments own and operate their own large fleets, while others contract a smaller number of aircraft for the season. Gradek told Global News the CL-215s and 415s were Canada’s “mainstays” for decades of water bombing and some may be around 50 years old.