The Ongoing Wildfire Thread

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Apparently KGH called a code orange (mass casualties) but it was just a nurse on Twitter. Not sure the reasoning. There was also a car hit by a train earlier so maybe that's it. It's ugly there

my thought on the code orange is that they need extra staff at kgh. currently there are numerous long term care/extended care facilities being evacuated in the glenmore area. these people need to go somewhere that can give them the medical attention they require and i would assume other long term facilities can only take in so many new people - so kgh would be another place they could go

but that's just a guess.

here's a map of all the evacuation orders in the kelowna area: https://www.cordemergency.ca/emergen...nmckinley-fire

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Fire jumped the lake. Hot embers can travel a long way with the wind and start separate fires kilometers away from the main one

I was wondering about that, so thanks!

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Fire jumped the lake. Hot embers can travel a long way with the wind and start separate fires kilometers away from the main one

Was toodling around on social media last night, and various people had the attitude and voiced it out loud, that they'd be fine because the fire couldn't possibly jump the lake. I said they should pack their valuable papers, etc, and go bags because it absolutely would jump the lake, given its behaviour, the wind and how far embers/burning debris could be carried. Didn't want to be right but here we are. I hope at least a few of them were proactive on the "just in case" side.

My nephew is in the west bank area, sound like he got evac'd, but he sent my BIL a text this morning that he's safe but didn't say much else. Our friends out where we go camping, their son is in Kelowna - they're only on alert right now but they're ready to bug out if necessary. My BIL is in Princeton now, but they were in Ashcroft when the Elephant Hill fire went off. He said because they sit so high in elevation where he lives (just a hair outside of Princeton), that they can see a lot of the ongoing fires - they get socked in with smoke for a bit, and can't see anything, but then it clears and they can see 3 of the fires/smoke. He said something about a fire by Hedley that just started?

ETA: just saw this on twitter, with the fires up at the Shuswap. We had friends camping around Lee Creek a couple of days ago and they decided to get out when they woke up to thick smoke and dark orange skies. This bridge is just one of the reasons why they decided to get while the getting was good - the area was only on evac alert at that point, IIRC.

[flylock shox]

Feels like the planet's immune system kicked into high gear this summer. Fires everywhere.

I bet there will be some big changes coming to bylaws and insurance policies soon anywhere the risk of wildfires presents. People will need to build buffers between their properties and fuel sources, and nee construction is going to have to adhere to stricter standards re fire resistance. I don't think we can firefight our way out of these things anymore.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Knut

I have some stressed out Yellowknife Evacuee's at my house right now.

They had to drive through flames on the side of the highway and had to stop periodically for water bombers to douse the road.

How did you get evacuees? I have room for either 2 couples or 1 family and have had no success trying to get my name and address to someone.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by redforever

How did you get evacuees? I have room for either 2 couples or 1 family and have had no success trying to get my name and address to someone.

They're his in-laws.

[Codes]

Originally Posted by 81MC

Seeing much of my old stomping grounds burning down has me unexpectedly emotional.

This.

My parents finally moved away from West Kelowna a couple of years ago (though they are now in the Shuswap, and things aren't good there, either), but I have many friends and many memories from growing up there. One of my childhood houses is already under evacuation order in Rose Valley (and quite possibly in imminent danger), and it sounds like my other childhood house could soon be under threat.

Seeing the fire jump the lake is insanity! You'd think it would be a decent fireguard. I know embers can travel great distance, but that was a nightmare scenario come true. And, I am dreading the ramifcations to come from the landfill catching fire.

The pictures bc-chris posted are truly terrifying. I'm thankful my family and I are no longer there, but at the same time, I wish I could be there to help in any capacity I could. Be safe and good luck.

[psyang]

Our daughter is at UBC-O. Campus has been evacuated. She is part of a group of 8 that are packing and getting ready to leave if necessary. They may have a place in Salmon Arm, but worst case they will travel and stay with us back in Calgary.

She sent me this site which shows the current evacuation orders in red. It's pretty sobering.

[Minnie]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1692658771695460861

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

I bet there will be some big changes coming to bylaws and insurance policies soon anywhere the risk of wildfires presents. People will need to build buffers between their properties and fuel sources, and nee construction is going to have to adhere to stricter standards re fire resistance. I don't think we can firefight our way out of these things anymore.

Indeed, after this summer - I can't help but think that recreational properties will see premiums increase by a multiple of some sort, if not get denied entirely. Sort of like trying to get overland water coverage in flood plain areas of Calgary after the 2013 floods.

I've looked into a detached recreation property in BC, and as a result looked into the FireSmart requirements that would need to be applied. If a damn lake can't hold things back, I just can't see what tweaks to soffit, and a metal roof / non vinyl siding would do in the face of these recent fires. Making me really re-consider this as an option.

[woob]

Flight guys - Are the AirSpray and Conair bombers operating out of Kamploops due to the bad smoke at Kelowna International?

[AC]

My parents were on their way to Kelowna for a wedding. My mom said they've been told the destination is in the "ok" area... but it sounds like they'll be turning around so they aren't just adding to the problem of cars on the road.

I hope that's what they decide to do.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by woob

Flight guys - Are the AirSpray and Conair bombers operating out of Kamploops due to the bad smoke at Kelowna International?

Kamloops is B.C. Wildfire HQ where they run their air operations out of?

[Nyah]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1692629634637324437

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by woob

Flight guys - Are the AirSpray and Conair bombers operating out of Kamploops due to the bad smoke at Kelowna International?

Kamloops and Penticton are the tanker bases AFAIK

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Feels like the planet's immune system kicked into high gear this summer. Fires everywhere.

I bet there will be some big changes coming to bylaws and insurance policies soon anywhere the risk of wildfires presents. People will need to build buffers between their properties and fuel sources, and nee construction is going to have to adhere to stricter standards re fire resistance. I don't think we can firefight our way out of these things anymore.

I spoke with someone many years ago who said something like this fire was inevitable. According to this guy, controlled burns had been decreased significantly in BC due to budget cuts as well as complaints from local residents about the smoke when they did the control burn.

Because of this, fuel sources no longer had natural buffers in between each other via controlled fire consumption, and when something like this goes up, the fuel sources are connected so it can easily burn rapidly over larger distances. He believed the fuel was accumulating year after year to the point where there were too many interconnected sections of landscape that could sustain uncontrollable fires if something were to start burning.

His suggestion was to do more controlled burns and making some significant changes to some landscapes to create "natural" breaks that could help slow wild fires and also create strategic locations for combating fires when they happen.

I don't know how much this is true. But in theory, it does make sense and it also makes more sense to do large scale prevention strategies vs many individual case by case basis for homes and properties. It's kinda like how the City of Calgary did flood mitigation rather than insurance demand all of the homes in the affected areas flood proof their homes.

[DoubleK]

Probably none of it

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I spoke with someone many years ago who said something like this fire was inevitable. According to this guy, controlled burns had been decreased significantly in BC due to budget cuts as well as complaints from local residents about the smoke when they did the control burn.

Because of this, fuel sources no longer had natural buffers in between each other via controlled fire consumption, and when something like this goes up, the fuel sources are connected so it can easily burn rapidly over larger distances. He believed the fuel was accumulating year after year to the point where there were too many interconnected sections of landscape that could sustain uncontrollable fires if something were to start burning.

His suggestion was to do more controlled burns and making some significant changes to some landscapes to create "natural" breaks that could help slow wild fires and also create strategic locations for combating fires when they happen.

I don't know how much this is true. But in theory, it does make sense and it also makes more sense to do large scale prevention strategies vs many individual case by case basis for homes and properties. It's kinda like how the City of Calgary did flood mitigation rather than insurance demand all of the homes in the affected areas flood proof their homes.

There is some truth to that, fire suppression over the past few decades has left many forests older than they normally would be.

Also the pine beetle infestation (not everywhere but certainly in some areas of BC) has left huge swaths of forest dead and getting dryer every year. It's just a matter of time before they go up in flames.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Just got back to Vancouver from Osoyoos via Hwy 3 through Princeton.
No issues on that route though you drive past the smoke from the Karemeos fire, then it suddenly clears up near Hedley.
You can see a clear line between smoke & blue skies.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Probably none of it

This conversation was in either 2015 or 2016. I didn't at the time have any reason to believe he was making it all up. I just wasn't sure how much of it seemed exaggerated and whether his suggestions were overly optimistic.