British Columbia Wildfires
The drought conditions in British Columbia , the Canadian province North of Washington state, have made wildfires a matter of when, not if. This cluster of fires is Northeast of Seattle, about 50 miles North of the Washington/British Columbia border.
The CBC reports: B.C. wildfires force 17,000 to flee
The number of residents forced out of their homes because of a wildfire in the tinder-dry Okanagan region of B.C. continues to climb.
The latest reports indicate as many as 17,000 people have been evacuated from 6,500 homes in the region.
Since the fires started Saturday afternoon, flames have destroyed at least nine buildings, including three houses, and charred three square kilometres [740 acres] in West Kelowna.
Jeanne Rucker, an official with the Kamloops Fire Centre, told CBC News on Sunday that the fire was burning out of control.
There were more than 150 people battling the blaze, including 100 structural firefighters, as well as 17 pieces of heavy equipment, up to 10 helicopters and four water tankers.
“It’s something that we feared would happen and it has happened,” said Coun. Brian Winsby, among those who stayed away from home overnight. “Hopefully, it won’t be as serious as a lot of people have feared.”
About 4,500 homes in the Glenrosa neighbourhood had to be evacuated because of the largest of three fires.
Derek Burgess, who is helping to find shelter for people who show up at the Mount Boucherie Complex, said a second fire, four kilometres [2½ miles] from the Glenrosa blaze, had forced about 3,000 people to leave their homes.
“It was about half a hectare yesterday, but has grown to 75 hectares [185 acres] near the Rose Valley Reservoir,” he told CBC News on Sunday.
A third, smaller fire was burning north of Kelowna, near Fintry, but no homes are in danger, he said.
A fourth small fire was also burning east of Kelowna, but that fire had been contained.
This is the BC forest service report, Wildfires of Note, for a brief overview, unfortunately the CBC fire map hasn’t been updated with this fire yet, but the Bellevue Creek fire on June 7 was in the same area.
The Canadian Ministry of Forests has an aerial wildfire attack base just south of this area at the airport in Penticton.
10 comments
We Santa Bar-B-Que-ians are all Canadians today, eh.
Actually, one or more of the aircraft from Penticton has been flying against California fires under lease, Jill, so they appreciate the thoughts.
Until the weather cooperates they are in trouble as they have trees around their houses, even in the towns, so there’s plenty of fuel.
I know we rent out alot of firefighting equipment, planes AND firefighters.
We here in CA better be PRAYING that humungous wildfires don’t breakout now when sources will be extremely thin. But I don’t think the Canadians would take Arnold Bucks (IOU’s) anyway.
.-= ´s last blog ..Another warm welcome to Whole Foods =-.
It’s not like the Republicans actually care, unless it’s their district that get devastated, but no one deserves a wildfire.
The British Columbian government if facing a major threat from the dry conditions. The area of the fires has a large lake and a river, but they have been on water restrictions for a while. I don’t think they have much they can spare.
Well…we seem to have a little fire up on Camino Cielo right now. Let’s hope the winds don’t pick up and they got the fire engines up there fast enough to contain it. There were some helio action, too.
Highway 154 is a 2-lane winding highway up the mountains that is not the easiest to navigate. A car just took a tumble off the side of the mountain the other day. Thank god the Michael madness has died down…Fire engines trying to get past dawdling tourists on San Marcos Pass is a b***h.
.-= ´s last blog ..Jill has a new "place" =-.
The military deals with tourists by pushing their vehicles over the side, but the practice leads to complaints and paperwork.
I saw your report over at skippy’s, and it sounds like the people who own the two vehicles are in a world of hurt when they are caught, as they will be.
The guys commenting seem to think it will be under control shortly.
They caught it in time…thank goodness. But it is dry as bone china and hot as hades (for Central Calfornia)…and like the high goal season of polo, high wildfire season is here with no budget in place as of yet.
.-= ´s last blog ..Welcome to the "blogging" block =-.
From all I have read on the California budget situation, I have my doubts that the budget that gets passed will be any help.
The people in the Central Valley may have to consider returning to Oklahoma.
They just came to an “agreement” on the budget. The State’s proverbial Pooch is s*****d.
Can you say “hello” to offshore drilling off of SB for oil…among other really draconian slashes to the elderly and the poor.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget21-2009jul21,0,5521044.story
Oklahoma is looking pretty good.
.-= ´s last blog ..July 24th is National Tequila Day =-.
Howard Jarvis is smiling in the 9th circle of hell.
I fear its Oklahoma or revolution in the Goldless State.