Fire season is upon us

[sawguy21]

I am glad he is safe. I still have not been able to reach friends in the area. 

[Andries]

Kelowna, Yellowknife and Hay River.
What's that, just under 100,000 people evacuated?
Wishing all those on the run good luck and may your survival skills keep you and yours safe!

[WhitePineJunky]

Kelowna, Yellowknife and Hay River.
What's that, just under 100,000 people evacuated?
Wishing all those on the run good luck and may your survival skills keep you and yours safe!

20,000. 
Hope all be safe

[Andries]

Yellowknife is 45,000 people according to CBC headline - in the summer much higher.
Add in Hay River, Fort Smith and others. 
A whole lot of Hercs left Winnipeg at 1:30 am today to airlift.
Regardless a lot of people in danger

[OntarioAl]

CBC should check their facts
Yellowknife population just over 20340 2021 Census

 

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, Yellowknife has been around 20,000 for years. The whole NW Territory up there is 45,605 and that is a vast area. Only 0.03987 persons/km² for Population Density. Lots of no man's land. :D That don't include Yukon and Nunavut territories.

[Stephen1]

My sons house has been saved by the Firefighters in Kelowna. The mcDougal fire surrounded his neighbourhood and this morning his house is okay!! 8)

[sawguy21]

A friend was due to return from Vancouver Island today but his options are limited. The Kelowna airport is closed to allow the air tankers and helicopters to land, refuel and change crews. Highway 5 is open to Kamloops as far as I know but the TCH is closed east from there so the bus (if it is running) would have to go to Vernon then north to rejoin the highway at Salmon Arm. Those roads will be plugged with evacuees from the fire at Kelowna, it is a real mess. :'(

[SwampDonkey]

Mother called one fellow in Kelowna out there that we know and they said the smoke is terrible where they are at. They are up hill from the lake and just sage brush grows near their place, the trees are further up the mountain. They are 1 mile from the airport I think. The older relatives around there are dead from age, and the younger folks we rarely hear from and pretty much strangers to me. A challenging place to live with few ways out.

[charles mann]

There was talk of us going to the plant fire in santa barbara county, between camarillo and bakersfield. But luckily the rains from the hurricane put a hurtn on the fire. 

[SwampDonkey]

To top things off, it is being reported that some firefighting equipment is being stolen in the Shuswap region fire. The missing gear includes at least 15 sets of equipment, which each contain multiple pumps, hoses, and sprinklers, and an ATV. RCMP officers are patrolling the communities and have made arrests.

[sawguy21]

That is low even for thieves >:( It makes a bad situation worse. A lightning strike started another fire in the neighboring towns watershed, a bomber and helicopters got on it quickly so we hope it is quickly contained. Everyone is on edge but the forecast is for light rain over the next couple of days then more heat.

[SwampDonkey]

It seems CBC's initial characterization of fire equipment theft lacked some context of the situation. Residence are trying to help, but authorities want none of it. In the past, this kind of control mongering was unheard of.

'We've been abandoned': Why anger in the Shuswap is growing over B.C.'s wildfire fighting strategy | CBC News

[Andries]

Sawguy, here's hoping that bit of forecasted rain gives the fire control folks a bit of time to throw up firebreaks where needed. Stay safe and be ready.
I can't imagine the level of frustration in that situation. If a fire was threatening my property, and there was unused fire fighting equipment located nearby, the temptation to use it would be undeniable.
 Too many fires, exhausted people and thin ranks of firefighters would indicate resources being stretched thin. Add in some idealistic, bureaucratic thinking and political nonsense = control mongering.
.
A self-reliant person is not likely to stand by waiting for the government to rescue their life's work. 

[Andries]

It's not all negative.
Check out this photo essay:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-24/canada-worst-wildfire-season-foreign-correspondent/102748250 
(promise I'll figure out how to make a hyperlink next time)

[DbltreeBelgians]

It's great to see so many wildland firefighters from around the world answering the call to help Canada. Truly a brotherhood and I'm sure it will be reciprocated in time of need.
Thanks for posting that article @Andries 

Brent

[customsawyer]

Andries that story brought back a few memories. Not that I was a smoke jumper, just did a few Rough Terrain Jumps. Put on a suit that makes you look like a Michelin tire man, and bail out the door. It does change your mind set when you realize that you're not going to be landing in a nice cleared drop zone but out in the bushes and trees. I always visualized a tree trying to stab me. Never happened to me or even come close. I have deep respect for those Smoke Jumpers, as they are going into some rough areas with minimal help, if any, when things go bad. 

[thecfarm]

Andries, easy to make hyper link.
Go to the site, highlite it and copy the address.
Then go to the FF post page, it's the 8th one over on the bottom line. When you hover the mouse over it, it reads, Insert Hyberlink, click onto that. In the URL box paste the link, Canada is burning, then in the description box type what it is and press insert.

[Andries]

Thank you cfarm - great tip!
Now I won't be that guy that causes the text on the Forum page to go super small. Hate when it forces me to zoom and scroll so's I can read the itty bitty letters the size of ant poop.

[DbltreeBelgians]

Happy Birthday Ray