The provincial government says it has no buyer’s remorse after spending nearly $3.3-million per week on two Black Hawk helicopters, on lease from the United States, after learning they legally could not fly them at night.

The province secured the two helicopters from Utah in hopes that they could be used to fight forest fires at night, but Transport Canada and FAA regulations prevent the aircraft from flying after dark.

Premier John Hogan says there is an “upside;” the helicopters are still being used throughout the day.

He admits that it wasn’t an easy task, even to get the helicopters in the air during the day. “There were some logistics and steps that we had to get over and hurdles to get over to get them here for the day, so that is a help,” he told reporters. There are “two extra heavy helicopters now working on these fires.”

“There’ll be an additional upside, if we can get over that other hurdle to fly them in the nights.”