We Move Water.

Our mission is to place powerful, precision engineered lightweight portable pumps into the hands of our wildland firefighters to move water to protect our forests and communities from the ravages of wildfires.

Our Fire Pumps

WATERAX is proud to continue its century-long tradition of designing, manufacturing and supporting high-performance and durable portable pumps suited to meet the most difficult water handling requirements.

About

WATERAX

WATERAX has a long, proud and exciting history of moving water around the world. WATERAX originated as Watson Jack & Company, which was founded in 1898 by Montreal, Quebec native John Colquhoun Watson Jack. Born on August 19, 1870, Jack was a Canadian inventor, businessman and trail-blazer.

In 1904, shortly after founding Watson Jack & Company, John Colquhoun Watson Jack became an agent for Sprague Electric, Sprague Elevator and Otis Elevators. He diversified his business holdings and by 1910 Watson Jack & Company was trading in metals, dyestuffs, chemical boilers and electrical supplies. In 1925, Watson Jack & Company became the manufacturer of a powerful 200 PSI portable fire pump called the WAJAX (an acronym of Watson Jack’s name).

After Watson Jack & Company and its FH Hopkins subsidiary were acquired by BJ Coghlin & Company in 1954, the operations of the two newly acquired businesses were merged to form a single subsidiary. This subsidiary was called Watson Jack Hopkins Ltd. until 1959 when it was renamed Wajax Equipment Ltd.

In 1964, Wajax Equipment Ltd. purchased Pacific Marine’s fire division and its name was changed to Pacific Pumpers Inc. This merger made the Canadian company North America’s leading producer of wildland firefighting equipment, with an offering that included the MARK-3® pump.

Since the 1960s, the MARK-3® series has been the gold standard in performance, reliability and durability. The MARK-3® is the standard wildland portable fire pump trusted by forestry agencies around the world and a truly innovative Canadian success story. Between the 1980s and 2010s the company continued to transform, operating under different banners until it was incorporated into WATERAX in 2014. Based in Montreal, Quebec, today the company exports wildland firefighting equipment to over 50 countries around the world.

Product News

WATERAX News

WATERAX Joins Madison Industries

WATERAX Joins Madison Industries

Madison Safety & Flow adds provider of portable fire pumps to its fire safety offering January 26, 2023 — CHICAGO, IL – Madison Industries, one of the world’s largest privately held companies has made a significant investment in WATERAX, a leading manufacturer of...

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Articles

Out-of-control Wildfire in Eastern NC Grows to 5,200 Acres

Out-of-control Wildfire in Eastern NC Grows to 5,200 Acres

Mark Price - The Charlotte Observer UPDATE: As of 4 p.m. Sunday, March 26, the wildfire was 34% contained and covered 5,200 acres, the N.C. Department of Agriculture reports. The original story is below. A wildfire in eastern North Carolina has spread across 5,200...

1500 Evacuated as Spain’s Fire Season Starts Early

1500 Evacuated as Spain’s Fire Season Starts Early

  By JENNIFER O'MAHONY Associated Press Eds: UPDATES: With Spanish prime minister's quotes. Minor edits. With AP Photos. MADRID (AP) — More than 1,500 people were evacuated as a major forest fire raged in Spain’s eastern Castellon province on Friday, marking an...

Biden Administration Invests $197 Million Into Wildfire Defense Fund

Biden Administration Invests $197 Million Into Wildfire Defense Fund

Kate Heston - Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, Mont. Mar. 22—A $197 million investment into a community wildfire defense program was announced by Vice President Kamala Harris, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Senior Advisor Mitch Landrieu on Monday....

Lawsuit Jeopardizes Use of Crucial Wildfire Retardant

Lawsuit Jeopardizes Use of Crucial Wildfire Retardant

Alex Wigglesworth - Los Angeles Times For most Californians, the sight of aircraft spewing neon pink liquid over flaming trees and brush has become a hallmark of aggressive wildfire suppression campaigns — if not a potent symbol of government's struggle to control...

Walking the Knife’s Edge of Integrity

Walking the Knife’s Edge of Integrity

Years ago while serving as Chief 1 (Fire Staff) on a large western forest, I had the opportunity to find myself at odds with the Regional Forester and my boss, the Forest Supervisor. Generally, I was well respected in my job by both of those individuals. And they knew...