Rock Creek Wildfire

[Bretbaby]

Its quite possible that you should consider that the fire might have been started from lightning from the middle of last night, as we had a lightning and thunderstorm with severe rain from 3 to 4 a.m. here in Kelowna, so it's possible that it was lightning overnight that started it.
As far as the smokers are concerned, save it until you find out, and don't blow any gaskets trying to explain about how stupid smokers are, lets keep focused on the wildfire at hand.

You're the one blowing a gasket as Caree was probably responding to me and I quoted what the fire information officer said.

**read my post above.

A fire that is already this devastating, there is bound to be talk about how it happened. Plus there seems to be no more new or confirmed information???

[Xia33]

Well said, ultraviolet! There will be time for that when all are safe!

[Caree]

Prevention is the best cure. Cigarette Butts are a danger that is preventable. I quit this rant now and hope people smarten up. If it was lightening it was Mother Nature...but I do see lots of cigarette butts out there in dry trails, roadsides, cedar mulch in public gardens...and on the roadside on my own street...pick up your garbage smokers or better still don't leave the garbage.

[Bretbaby]

750 hectares reported now. Not sure if that's been updated on here.

[Triple 6]

Thank you. I was just planning on posting it the once so that others were aware.

You're welcome! I should have explained better... I mean in general by others!

It's helpful in times like this.

[Bretbaby]

750 hectares reported now. Not sure if that's been updated on here.

Oops 800 hectares now.

[madadam]

RDKB Emergency Info ‏@AlanLStanley 16m16 minutes ago

Currently 270 homes evacuated

[Lazarus]

When I drove through the fire area along Highway 3 this afternoon there were actually two separate areas burning and both of them were directly beside the highway. The larger area was along the outside (north) side of the hairpin turn above Rock Creek and the wind, which was blowing from the south, had already pushed the fire some distance to the north away from the highway. The other much smaller area was farther up the hill, again on the right side (heading westbound) immediately beside the road and was burning a bit less aggressively because it was primarily in grass. Given the location of both burns (directly beside the road) and the estimated time they started (around 1PM from all sources I've seen) I would have to lean towards either cigarettes or possibly some kind of sparking from a vehicle as the cause (maybe a dragging trailer chain or something?). As I was approaching I wondered if there had been some kind of accident or car fire but there didn't seem to be any evidence for either as I drove through.

[BoB76]

There was a fair bit of lightning in that area Tuesday night.

[Bretbaby]

It was human caused!!!!!!!

[Fancy]

It was human caused!!!!!!!

Link?

[Swoop]

It was human caused!!!!!!!

Link?

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#145949

ORIGINAL

A four-hectare wildfire is burning near Highway 33, just north of Rock Creek.

Fanny Bernard, fire information officer with the Southeast Fire District in Castlegar, said the fire was reported about 1:30 Thursday afternoon.

One air tanker and an initial attack crew are on the scene.

Residents in the area say trees are candling. They suggest motorists avoid using the highway.

While there was some lightning throughout the Okanagan last night, Bernard said there is no indication this fire was started as a result of lightning.

"If this is a human caused fire, it is really regrettable," she said.

"If this is a cigarette butt thrown out the window, it's even worse because we've had so much messaging about that all summer, and there have been quite a few fires started by cigarettes so far."

[Farmmaa]

It was human caused!!!!!!!

Seriously ?
Does every thread have to turn into a bloody debate over how it started?
These threads are here to provide people with current information regarding the fire activity, resources available, evacuation orders, etc.
Anything else is purely speculation and completely unnecessary.

Official reports state the cause of the fire is UNKNOWN.
Leave it at that until everyone and their family, homes, animals and property are safe.

Yes, read it again...IF it was human caused.
The latest reports state UNKNOWN.

And right now....it doesn't matter HOW it started.

[Fancy]

"If" is a pretty big word. There should be something more substantial to go by.

[Fancy]

Seriously ?
Does every thread have to turn into a bloody debate over how it started?
These threads are here to provide people with current information regarding the fire activity, resources available, evacuation.

These threads are started to provide discussions - anything more is a blessing.