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Originally Posted by D as in David
I must be an idiot because I can't get that website to show me where the fires are located. I figured the red squares were showing the location of the fires but that can't be accurate. My best friend's place is in the Poplar Point area and has been only under a fire-alert status since the fire jumped the lake (with actual fires > 2km distance away from them) yet that website has had red squares situated over their place this entire time.
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i haven't heard of any fire in the poplar point area on the scanner. the fire started more north and above that area and has been moving north/west. i would assume they are on alert in case the fire starts going more south becuz of the change in wind
you guys were asking about fire boats.... we've got fire boats, but they are marine rescue boats - that's about it.
the kelowna department has an actual 'boat'
peachland, winfield/lake country and the north westside departments have equipment for lake rescues but i believe they are zodiaks (i think).
i wonder if part of the issue with fighting forest fires from okanagan lake is way the lake bottom is. it's been eons since i went in the lake but i remember being able to touch bottom and being quite a way from the shore - then the lake bottom just drops off like crazy. maybe a fire fighting boat just can't get close enough to be effective?
i know they regularly pump water from the lake to feed into sprinkler systems... but that kind of system isn't really doable for a forest fire - mostly just for structural protection.
from our deck, we could see trees across the lake literally explode into flames. in 2-3 seconds the tree was gone and all the trees around the burnt one were now going up just as fast. at times, thanks to the wind, the fire was moving thru the trees at a rank 6. there is nothing you can do to stop that.