Smith Creek Fire

[tsayta]

No flame visible. Little smoke. Too soon to call it out but it sure looks good!

[TreeGuy]

Looks really good! Especially when you consider today's wind! Those crews battled hard!

[meadbh]

No flame visible from Westbank centre, no smoke. So far, so good.

[lilbuddy]

My husband just got home from over that way and off the connector said not much flame anywhere that he could see but still smoking in a lot of places ...

[Countrycabin]

Didn't see this posted.

7/19/2014 8:19 PM

A Type 1 Ontario Incident Management team has now assumed command on the Smith Creek fire. This transition will bring increased support staff to help manage the wildfire which started two days ago.

The team is looking forward to continuing progress and positive efforts on the fire, which is estimated at 260 hectares and is approximately 30 per cent contained.

Collaboration with the West Kelowna, Peachland, Lake Country and Kelowna fire departments continues. Personnel from the Wildfire Management Branch will also continue to support efforts on this fire in various roles.

Increased fire activity was seen once again today as a result of unburned fuels igniting within the fire's interior. The fire has not exceeded guards or retardant lines. Potential for downhill creep exists this evening as strong winds continue.

Breaking trees may be noticed within the vicinity of the fire as a result of these strong winds. Fire fighters may be removed from these areas of concern for safety reasons. Other methods of suppression will be tactically considered when safety concerns are present.

This particular wildfire is suspected to be human-caused, as many are, and therefore preventable. This is a serious and unfortunate reminder of the risk of wildfire in the Kamloops Fire Centre region.

[TreeGuy]

Out for a walk and counted only 9 hot spots.

[meadbh]

Spare a thought for our neighbors in Washington State, who have been impacted much more severely. They have lost over 100 homes.

http://www.king5.com/news/wildfire/Pate ... 46361.html

[kumazatheef]

Spare a thought for our neighbors in Washington State, who have been impacted much more severely. They have lost over 100 homes.

http://www.king5.com/news/wildfire/Pate ... 46361.html

Ouch, suddenly I feel quite lucky :(

[gordon_as]

We could use one of these . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG06xAbBf3Q

[TreeGuy]

We could use one of these . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG06xAbBf3Q

Cool video! That can really lay down the retardant.

[Symbonite]

I always wondered how this thing could fly and fight fires...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEeNmSOEgQY

[Symbonite]

Spare a thought for our neighbors in Washington State, who have been impacted much more severely. They have lost over 100 homes.

http://www.king5.com/news/wildfire/Pate ... 46361.html

Looking at that..Smith Creek fire is nothing a speck compared to down there.

[Poindexter]

Huge thanks also has to go out to the Police who kept the area secure. We were out in the lake in penticton when the fire hit and had to crash through the waves to get back to the west Kelowna yatch club. So by the time we got home the roads were blocked and were allowed through. It was bazaar driving up our street, all the houses deserted, no cars parked on the road, no lawn mowers; Just silence, very sureal.

We were under order to be quick so we grabbed stuff in a panic. Got the dog in the back of the truck and cat in the car. As were locking up we watch our cat squeeze through the thin crack we left in the car window and bolt! It has been in a car maybe twice so she was obviously paniced and headed straight for the long string of overgrown junipers we have. We were both crawling around trying to find her as the officer arrived to say times up.

We put food and water out and left. Talk about a gut wrenching few days. We ended up camping on the lake on the Kelowna side and had maybe to good view of the whole ordeal. An amazing ballet those planes performed over and over. Providing a small bit of relief with each drop.

We were aloud to to back up there escorted yesterday and she was ready to go for her third drive in a car by that time.

Looks really hopeful today, can't wait to go home.

[Troy]

Here is something I shared on Facebook yesterday - a map showing hotspots detected by NASA satellite:

NASA hotspots - July 19, 2014

You can see a dot for the Smith Creek fire near the top-right corner

[Catz]

WOW...all I can say.