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British Columbia forest fires continue to grow
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Monday, September 08, 2003 | No comments posted.
KELOWNA, British Columbia (AP) - Weary firefighters battled frustration as well as the Okanagan Mountain Park inferno that has forced more evacuations and devoured more British Columbia history.
"You just have to look at it and go on," said Kirk Hughes, a fire information officer with the B.C. Forest Service. "We have to take the losses in stride and get back on the job the next day."
Fire officials withdrew their crews from the front lines of the attack as winds whipped new life into the blaze, forcing almost 1,000 new evacuees from their homes in the early hours Sunday, some for the second time.
The new evacuation order was issued when gusting winds started pushing the stubborn blaze toward the city, said information officer Karen Cairns.
About 330 properties and 990 people were affected by the new order, bringing the total number of people forced from their homes in Kelowna to more than 4,200.
Another 15,000 remained on evacuation alert, told to be packed and ready to leave on short notice.
North of Kamloops, about 750 people living in the Sun Peaks resort were also evacuated late Saturday due to the raging McGillivray fire.
The move was precautionary as the 40.5-square-mile fire was about 3 miles away but breached a fireguard Saturday night.
On Sunday afternoon, the fire was just under 2 miles away from the Sun Peaks resort but wasn't threatening any homes.
An evacuation alert was also issued for about 2,500 people in the Fraser Canyon community of Lytton and the surrounding areas, fire officials said.
Back in Kelowna, the strain at being forced from their homes has started to wear on evacuees, said Carol Suhan, a spokeswoman for the emergency operations center here.
"Not only the evacuees but the whole community," she said. "I mean, we thought that it was behind us and the worst was over."
Overnight, the three-week-old blaze grew to about 98 square miles as high winds continued to work against firefighters.
It has already destroyed about 240 homes in this Okanagan city of 100,000 and gobbled up another three of the historic Kettle Valley trestles by Sunday morning, Hughes said.
All told, 12 trestles on the abandoned railway line have been destroyed by the fire. The line is a popular attraction for hikers and cyclists. Two steel trestles on the scenic mountain route also lost their wooden decks. Only four trestles remained undamaged on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps said the federal government will help restore the trestles but would not say how much money Ottawa would commit until the cost is calculated.
Copps plans to be in Kelowna on Monday to assess the damage for herself.
On Saturday night, the winds led top officials to issue an extreme fire behavior warning to their crews - ordering firefighters to conduct limited fire suppression only when it was safe to do so.
As morning dawned on Sunday, 650 firefighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment and water bombers were still in the area, ready to fight the blaze.
The winds continued to be of concern Sunday.
Environment Canada forecast that winds of more than 12 mph would blow from the southwest, with gusts of up to 25 mph, before becoming lighter Sunday evening.
Hughes said the plan of attack Sunday was to rely on support from helicopters and air tankers dumping water and fire retardant on the blaze to support limited ground efforts.
Elsewhere in B.C., the city of Cranbrook remained shrouded in smoke from the Lamb Creek fire that has plagued firefighters for weeks.
On Sunday, no homes were threatened by the 42-square-mile blaze.
The McLure-Barriere fire north of Kamloops was almost completely contained on Sunday. Last month it destroyed many homes, including most in the tiny community of Louis Creek.
Firefighters had a close call in Vancouver's Stanley Park Saturday as a fire broke out in a tree trunk before it was quickly put out.
Fire officials said the cause of the blaze was believed to have been a discarded cigarette from a nearby squatters camp.
"You just have to look at it and go on," said Kirk Hughes, a fire information officer with the B.C. Forest Service. "We have to take the losses in stride and get back on the job the next day."
Fire officials withdrew their crews from the front lines of the attack as winds whipped new life into the blaze, forcing almost 1,000 new evacuees from their homes in the early hours Sunday, some for the second time.
The new evacuation order was issued when gusting winds started pushing the stubborn blaze toward the city, said information officer Karen Cairns.
About 330 properties and 990 people were affected by the new order, bringing the total number of people forced from their homes in Kelowna to more than 4,200.
Another 15,000 remained on evacuation alert, told to be packed and ready to leave on short notice.
North of Kamloops, about 750 people living in the Sun Peaks resort were also evacuated late Saturday due to the raging McGillivray fire.
The move was precautionary as the 40.5-square-mile fire was about 3 miles away but breached a fireguard Saturday night.
On Sunday afternoon, the fire was just under 2 miles away from the Sun Peaks resort but wasn't threatening any homes.
An evacuation alert was also issued for about 2,500 people in the Fraser Canyon community of Lytton and the surrounding areas, fire officials said.
Back in Kelowna, the strain at being forced from their homes has started to wear on evacuees, said Carol Suhan, a spokeswoman for the emergency operations center here.
"Not only the evacuees but the whole community," she said. "I mean, we thought that it was behind us and the worst was over."
Overnight, the three-week-old blaze grew to about 98 square miles as high winds continued to work against firefighters.
It has already destroyed about 240 homes in this Okanagan city of 100,000 and gobbled up another three of the historic Kettle Valley trestles by Sunday morning, Hughes said.
All told, 12 trestles on the abandoned railway line have been destroyed by the fire. The line is a popular attraction for hikers and cyclists. Two steel trestles on the scenic mountain route also lost their wooden decks. Only four trestles remained undamaged on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps said the federal government will help restore the trestles but would not say how much money Ottawa would commit until the cost is calculated.
Copps plans to be in Kelowna on Monday to assess the damage for herself.
On Saturday night, the winds led top officials to issue an extreme fire behavior warning to their crews - ordering firefighters to conduct limited fire suppression only when it was safe to do so.
As morning dawned on Sunday, 650 firefighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment and water bombers were still in the area, ready to fight the blaze.
The winds continued to be of concern Sunday.
Environment Canada forecast that winds of more than 12 mph would blow from the southwest, with gusts of up to 25 mph, before becoming lighter Sunday evening.
Hughes said the plan of attack Sunday was to rely on support from helicopters and air tankers dumping water and fire retardant on the blaze to support limited ground efforts.
Elsewhere in B.C., the city of Cranbrook remained shrouded in smoke from the Lamb Creek fire that has plagued firefighters for weeks.
On Sunday, no homes were threatened by the 42-square-mile blaze.
The McLure-Barriere fire north of Kamloops was almost completely contained on Sunday. Last month it destroyed many homes, including most in the tiny community of Louis Creek.
Firefighters had a close call in Vancouver's Stanley Park Saturday as a fire broke out in a tree trunk before it was quickly put out.
Fire officials said the cause of the blaze was believed to have been a discarded cigarette from a nearby squatters camp.
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