B.C. fires spreading at alarming speed
Last Updated Sat, 02 Aug 2003 11:06:18
KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Three forest fires now burning in B.C.'s Thompson River Valley have surprised firefighters with the speed at which they're spreading.
INDEPTH: Fighting Fires
"Off the charts," said Fire Commander Denis Gaudry. "Extreme fire behaviour, and some unprecedented rates of spread that people who work in this business have never seen before."
Barriere, B.C.
One of the fires near Rayleigh, just north of Kamloops, spread from a small spark to a 30-hectare wildfire in just five minutes on Friday.
Hundreds of people fled. Some had to be rescued by boats that took them down the Thompson River. Fire lines in the area were reported to be holding back the flames on Saturday.
Premier Gordon Campbell declared a state of emergency Friday, saying it is essential to protect the firefighters and residents.
"We have a very erratic, very volatile situation there," Campbell said.
At least four communities have been evacuated. People left the village of McLure Thursday night wherer flames destroyed at least three structures. In nearby Barriere, where the town's sawmill and several homes were destroyed, residents left on Friday.
The latest group of evacuees were on the move at 1 a.m. Saturday, 80 familes, from the community of Falkland, 75 kilometres east of Kamloops.
Officials say more than 7,500 people have left their homes after evacuation orders were issued. Many headed to Kamloops, where a provincial government registration centre has been set up for evacuees.
More than 8,000 people in several communities were without power Friday and B.C. Hydro said it could be days, possibly weeks, before it's restored.
"Crews worked through the night to control the McLure fire as well as the Strawberry Hill fire," said Glen Plummer of the B.C. Emergency Program.
Nadine Doggett, a Barriere resident told CBC Newsworld the scene behind her home was "pretty scary" with black smoke rising all around.
There are more than 240 forest fires burning in the province and attempts to put them out are being challenged by changing winds and hot weather.
The Saturday temperature in the Kamloops area was forecast to be 32 C. Winds of 50 km/hr were expected to fan the fires.
Written by CBC News Online staff
Last Updated Sat, 02 Aug 2003 11:06:18
KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Three forest fires now burning in B.C.'s Thompson River Valley have surprised firefighters with the speed at which they're spreading.
INDEPTH: Fighting Fires
"Off the charts," said Fire Commander Denis Gaudry. "Extreme fire behaviour, and some unprecedented rates of spread that people who work in this business have never seen before."
Barriere, B.C.
One of the fires near Rayleigh, just north of Kamloops, spread from a small spark to a 30-hectare wildfire in just five minutes on Friday.
Hundreds of people fled. Some had to be rescued by boats that took them down the Thompson River. Fire lines in the area were reported to be holding back the flames on Saturday.
Premier Gordon Campbell declared a state of emergency Friday, saying it is essential to protect the firefighters and residents.
"We have a very erratic, very volatile situation there," Campbell said.
At least four communities have been evacuated. People left the village of McLure Thursday night wherer flames destroyed at least three structures. In nearby Barriere, where the town's sawmill and several homes were destroyed, residents left on Friday.
The latest group of evacuees were on the move at 1 a.m. Saturday, 80 familes, from the community of Falkland, 75 kilometres east of Kamloops.
Officials say more than 7,500 people have left their homes after evacuation orders were issued. Many headed to Kamloops, where a provincial government registration centre has been set up for evacuees.
More than 8,000 people in several communities were without power Friday and B.C. Hydro said it could be days, possibly weeks, before it's restored.
"Crews worked through the night to control the McLure fire as well as the Strawberry Hill fire," said Glen Plummer of the B.C. Emergency Program.
Nadine Doggett, a Barriere resident told CBC Newsworld the scene behind her home was "pretty scary" with black smoke rising all around.
There are more than 240 forest fires burning in the province and attempts to put them out are being challenged by changing winds and hot weather.
The Saturday temperature in the Kamloops area was forecast to be 32 C. Winds of 50 km/hr were expected to fan the fires.
Written by CBC News Online staff
Comment