I just returned home from a weeklong trip. I noticed a lot of chopper traffic. We were on jean and quetico and I think it was every day we saw some. Wednesday evening it made several trips over a very similar path like he was ferrying people maybe. Any idea what was going on?

depending on their travel pattern, they might have been involved with the fire burning north of Ottertrack in quetico.

Possibly, I was thinking they were transporting fire fighters but wasn’t aware of that fire

I was on those same lakes last week and saw the chopper. Flying low and slow.
The last time I saw a chopper over extended times, they were searching for a drowning victim on Basswood River.

While transporting fire crews to the Ottertrack Lake would be a possibility, the chopper would most likely have come from Atikokan which is far east of Jean/Quetico Lakes. And Ottertrack is at the east end of the Q too so who knows.

And doesnt the Q let fires burn? I didnt think they sent gire gighters out.

billconner: "And doesnt the Q let fires burn? I didnt think they sent fire fighters out."

Plus I don't think they'd ferry firefighters in a helicopter..they'd use a float plane I would think. Helicopters are much more expensive than float planes, plus where would you land. They are used for firefighting, but the CL 215 plane is a lot more common up there. I'm guessing it wasn't related to the fire. Curious now what was going on.

marsonite: "Plus I don't think they'd ferry firefighters in a helicopter..they'd use a float plane I would think. Helicopters are much more expensive than float planes, plus where would you land. "

Not that uncommon to put floats on a helicopter.

Maybe looking for that fugitive?

I was up on Kawnipi during the big fire in 1995.

When I portaged thru to Agnes I came upon a small island that had a couple of firefighters with long chainsaws by their sides. They said they were waiting for a helicopter to pick them up. They had cleared the small island of all trees and brush and made a makeshift helicopter landing pad. They said they had been working long hours fighting the fire.

I have passed by this island several times on my way up to Kawnipi and it is now all grown over.

So perhaps the helicopters on Jean were carrying firefighters or their equipment.

We heard several a week and a half ago through that area - one at night.

billconner: "And doesnt the Q let fires burn? I didnt think they sent gire gighters out."

I have seen them send fire fighters out. Mostly the work I’ve seen them do if cutting down trees in the path to prevent further spread.

T

I just got back from 12 days in the bush stayed many nights on Jessie. I saw a lot of helicopter traffic heading from Nym to Jean area, I thought it might have something to do with the latest wind event. Also, the portage crews were working feverishly to open the ports deeper in the park. There was a lot of camp and portage damage when I was there.

Bob.

Several years ago, we stayed at Morris' Camp before and after our trip, and there was a helicopter and crew staying there as well. They were researchers doing water quality sampling of lakes throughout the area.