Oliver fires

[zookeeper]

That live feed doesn't make me feel like they have anything under control, just trying to react the best as possible.

I'm thinking the fire budget needs to be increased, a LOT.

You're well aware that most of the fire department is volunteer? Maybe you could pop down and lend a hand.

[Bretbaby]

"Testalinden Fire south of Oliver now estimated at 1300 hectares size this morning, while the Wilson Fire at the north end of town is now 200 hectares. Both fires are zero percent contained. Evacuation orders remain in effect."

[CEB]

Sorry I meant HWY 97 through Oliver. I heard the fire is extremely close to the road.

I'm pretty surprised the Hwy wasn't closed overnite. I was at Haynes Point visiting relatives when we noticed the fire come over the hill around 1115pm. I finally made the decision to leave at ~1130pm in case I got trapped. Glad I did, I think. There was one section that the fire wasn't very far off the Hwy (50'?) and it looked like it could all go that way. Smoke wasn't bad in the south fire, but it was thick in Oliver. That fire was further up the hill and off the Hwy there.

As I was driving thru the Road 20 - Road 8 section of the fire it was hard to imagine any crop, and maybe even wineries making it but it's so hard to tell at night and the terrain is so different from the fires I'm used to like the Westside fire where there is so much fuel comparatively? It's always amazing to see what does get spared. The crops though- If spared it will be an intersting vintage, incredibly sad for that industry.

The difference I did notice was how few emergency vehicles I did see but I'm sure that's not because every single one of them wasn't out there working their butts off, I think it's just that I'm used to seeing a Kelowna/Lake Country/West Kelowna response that is huge, by comparison. We shut/monitor traffic on roads, they have no time/manpower. We cut the power, they can't as fast? It must feel pretty lonely and even scarier in these smaller towns, especially in the complete dark.

There was a bit of rain to the north as I drove out of the fire area and the winds were calming so hopefully all that went south and what looked to be a very bad situation was miraculously lessened.

My guess is that if the fire hasn't just passed through quickly, and there's still risk to buildings, they'll have to shut Hwy 97 down at some point to lay retardant. There's so many houses/wineries right on the Hwy. Also, the spectators/Media will start to amass.

[Frisk]

I noticed the cause of the fires is listed as unknown. There was some thunderstorm activity in the area prior to them starting, maybe they just haven't updated it yet.

[watchkat]

Forest FireHighway 3 Both directions - Closed in both directions from Keremeos to Osoyoos (50.1 km) because of Forest Fire. Estimated Time of Opening Currently Unavailable. No Detour Available. Alternate Route Hwy 3A and Hwy 97. Next update at 10:00 am Aug 15th. Updated on Sat Aug 15 at 9:07 am PDT. (ID# 192213)


I personally was a bit confused when they kept saying it was close to merging of Hwy97 and Hwy 3. To me that was down by the intersection by the Husky truck stop........but I never really thought much of the Richter Pass road being this close to the Hwy 97 through the Wine and Orchard area. This explains the proximatey....they are very close!

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.0885661 ... 102,12.29z

[Frisk]

1 home has been confirmed lost.

[Bretbaby]

I noticed the cause of the fires is listed as unknown. There was some thunderstorm activity in the area prior to them starting, maybe they just haven't updated it yet.

Oh boy, you are going to get the do-gooders jumping down your throat for speculating, guessing, blaming, talking about a cause!!! Unless of course it's okay to talk about if it was lightning, but not okay to talk about it if it's human-caused! That's what I found out in the Rock Creek thread!

Needless to say, a person was quoted as saying they saw the lightning hit and the fire just take off. (the bigger fire) If I can find the quote, I'll edit and post it, but I read a lot of different things last night so not sure where that was now!

[Bretbaby]

1 home has been confirmed lost.

I just read 3 structures have been lost due to the fires. :(

[zerograv]

Oh boy, you are going to get the do-gooders jumping down your throat for speculating, guessing, blaming, talking about a cause!!! Unless of course it's okay to talk about if it was lightning, but not okay to talk about it if it's human-caused! That's what I found out in the Rock Creek thread!

Needless to say, a person was quoted as saying they saw the lightning hit and the fire just take off. (the bigger fire) If I can find the quote, I'll edit and post it, but I read a lot of different things last night so not sure where that was now!

I imagine it has something to do with it being a volatile dynamic situation where their main concern is saving peoples lives and homes. Investigations can be done later. People use these threads for current information, not to read about what some armchair fire investigators may "think" started a fire when they have no proof and weren't there. Maybe aliens started the fire? Maybe terrorism? See how this adds nothing to the conversation?

[Bretbaby]

It's a forum - if people want information, especially important information, there are numbers to call or Emergency personnel to talk to. This thread, just like every other one, is just people talking, discussing, posting a few news resources here and there. If you want reliable information, then coming onto ANY forum is not the way to do it.

That being said, and I quote a radio station:

"Highway 3 is now open between Osoyoos and Keremeos".

I'm just an armchair reporter. If you need to travel that road and want to confirm it's open, get off of your computer and pick up the phone and dial a professional.

[Bretbaby]

Church & State Wines escaped damage as well.

https://twitter.com/ChurchStateWine/sta ... 7354318848

So did Rustico Winery.

https://twitter.com/CBCKirkWilliams/sta ... 0335333376

[CEB]

I believe it is Tinhorn Estate Winery that reported that there were 11 Wineries on the Golden Mile Bench yesterday morning and there are still 11 this morning. Awesome news. Maverick Winery reported that the grapes were too far along in there development to be altered by this smoke/ash now.

I haven't got a clue where it was that I saw the fire all the way to the Hwy. Probably a vacant farmland without sprinklers?

[Nyan]

I believe it is Tinhorn Estate Winery that reported that there were 11 Wineries on the Golden Mile Bench yesterday morning and there are still 11 this morning. Awesome news. Maverick Winery reported that the grapes were too far along in there development to be altered by this smoke/ash now.

I haven't got a clue where it was that I saw the fire all the way to the Hwy. Probably a vacant farmland without sprinklers?

Some of the photos I've seen on Twitter show the fire EXTREMELY close to the vineyards. Some really incredible work by the firemen and volunteers.

[crazymum]

Just watching BC1 news. Mayor of Oliver said no evacuation orders have been rescinded. all evacuation orders are still in place and no one is to go home.

[butcher99]

I believe it is Tinhorn Estate Winery that reported that there were 11 Wineries on the Golden Mile Bench yesterday morning and there are still 11 this morning. Awesome news. Maverick Winery reported that the grapes were too far along in there development to be altered by this smoke/ash now.

I haven't got a clue where it was that I saw the fire all the way to the Hwy. Probably a vacant farmland without sprinklers?

The problem in the Kelowna fire was not the smoke at the wineries it was chemicals from the fire fighting. Grapes were ok but the crops were lost.
If the fire was close they MAY have been in contact with fire retardant Purely speculation here. Do not read anything into that.