Jul 16, 2017
Compared to what we saw, it must have been hell on the ground
330 homes evacuated, 657 on evacuation alert and at least 10 homes gone.
11:20PM update. By this time we had been in contact with our vet by text who is on evacuation alert. We offered any help that they required although we don’t know anything about horses. We could help with the dogs at the very least or loading of things into our vehicles. Sadly her son’s home is in the middle of the flames. They are hoping for the best.
The fire us not that far from us. The red outline is for the evacuees and the orange outline it for those on evacuation alert. We are located on the right at the top of Ellison Lake.
Great news, 80% contained at 12:35AM. Thanks to all those fighting the fires through the night.
I wrote the previous last night. It took awhile for me to settle down and go to bed. The good news is that the winds did die down during the night. This morning the size of the fire was upgraded to 55 hectares and was still ranked a 2 – 3. We have had strong winds non stop all day which means we have no smoke but it has made things very difficult for the crews actively fighting the fire. The fire is 50 per cent contained by hand guard and surrounded 80 per cent by retardant.
Ninety minutes ago the fire picked up again due to the strong winds. You can see our lake in the top right corner.
Fires have been raging across our province for several days now and have intensified in the last 24 hours. I can’t believe that over 37,000 people have been evacuated. I just learned today that one of my blogs readers has been evacuated. We met Janet and her husband a few times in Mexico. They and their dachshund even came to visit us and the girls on the Isla one afternoon.
Emergency Services have just now announced that eight homes were lost in the fire last night.
Truly devastating. Even worse is that the fire was human caused. BC Wildfire Services and the RCMP have an investigation underway. In the news conference where the losses were confirmed our Lake Country fire chief said “We did everything possible to save people’s homes and property,” he said. “We did our best.”
Meanwhile 331 properties remain evacuated while 657 properties remain on evacuation alert. We personally know people in both categories.
Today Colin took photos of all that we own and together we made lists of what we need to take in the event that we are ever evacuated. We then redid the list in the priority of what we would take based on time. If we had more time that we would move on to the next part of the list, etc. Click here for an idea of what you might want to take with you should you need to evacuate. I used to be a Girl Guide and our motto was “Be Prepared“.
The wind continues to blow and the fire continues to burn.
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Sorry from Northern Idaho. It’s been a while since any fires have threaten any thing…your thought are with me…
I found your blog though cheap trick and if you fine the time stop in for a cup of coffee
Good luck.
BE SAFE. GLAD YOU FINALLY GOT EVERYTHING IN ORDER. HOPE YOU DON’T HAVE TO EVACUATE.
Be prepared, indeed! Here’s hoping (and praying) that it doesn’t come to that for you and Colin. We are mid-Island in Nanaimo. As we look east across the Strait, we see smoke and haze obscuring the mountains behind the Sunshine Coast. The cost in lives and property is terrible to contemplate.
Hoping you stay safe!
So very sad. Our RCMP neighbor got called out Saturday night to depart at 330am for the interior. They apparently decided to call up a whole bunch of officers across the country to assist with evacuations and patrolling to prevent looting. From what I hear he is guarding the area where the homes burned in Kelowna.