West Kelowna Preparing for Extreme Fire Season

[mr.bandaid]

No offence, but your fats aren't very dry because the current rating in the Okanagan is moderate.

I walk out there every day. It is very dry. Despite that, for whatever it is worth to you, no fire should be left unattended.

[Poindexter]

While walking behind Smith Creek I came to near of the end of the road and found an unattended smouldering fire from what looked to be a much bigger fire last night. It is dry as a popcorn fart out there and people still leave fires unattended. The fire department was called and they promptly came up and put the smouldering fire out. Thanks guys.

Thanks mrs bandaid. Can't believe the ignorance of some people, especially after the fire that had us all evacuated last year. We've come across the same thing way to often. Were also seeing more garden waste and junk being dumped which will only add fuel to a fire. Just last month we caught a guy wheel borrowing his garden waste down a trail near our house from his truck. He actually seemed shocked that we'd even care, took a picture of his plate and called it in, not sure if anything was done.

It's to the point now where I'd support closing the entire dirt section of smith creek road off to all motorized vehicles but the few locals that live up there. I'll gladly pedal the few extra km's to get to our favourite mountain bike trails and for us who just walk our dog up there it would effect us at all. It's too bad a small percentage of irresponsible people ruin it for everyone but something really does need to be done because we may not get as lucky as we were last year.

[mr.bandaid]

From what I understand, that part of Smith Creek is privately owned.

[Drip_Torch]

I don't believe in the El Nino thing. It might apply for costal areas but not the rest of BC. Most of the rain that we get during the summer comes from those out-of-nowhere thunderstorms, not big weather systems from the Pacific.

Interesting observation you made. Port Hardy just issued a local state of emergency - ever try to lite a fire around Port Hardy? Not talking campfire, although that can be challenging too. And, not taking a cheap shot, simply point out it's not exactly a forest fire hot spot under normal conditions. I was up there once on a job and watched 19 inches of rain fall in 16 hours - that's a destructive force of it's own.

I suspect you'll be a believer before this summer is over.

[Donald G]

The sooner hot and dry areas like the Okanagan find out that they CAN NOT have dense trees stands within their boundaries the sooner the rest of us taxpayers can start to save money on fire fighting year after year after year.

The proliferation of dead "needles" within and below each evergreen tree is a wonderful fire conductor. It helps otherwise manageable fires "crown" and "jump" until they become truly dangerous. Take a walk through the park in South East Kelowna if you want to see a disaster in the making.