We watched Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety on TV talking about the residents of Monte Lake who didn't leave their homes as the forest fire raged through their community. There are two sides to every story and I urge you to look at the video. It's long but the first few minutes and the last 8 minutes will let you know why these people stayed if you don't want to watch the entire video. Shame on Mike Farnworthless for not sending these people help when they needed it!
Cec's first cousin's daughter lives with her husband Fred and animals on a ranch outside Kamloops. She is an ICU nurse at Kamloops Hospital. This is from her Facebook page:
This shared video of the Monte Lake and Paxton Valley fire represents the reality of the forest fires in our communities. This fire began weeks ago at White Rock Lake, miles from here but it ended up affecting my home and my community too. And suddenly! No time to prepare, like being placed on an alert, but suddenly told to evacuate because the fire is close and has the potential to be at your house within hours!!
Why does this happen? Because we live in a boreal forest that historically burns. But we have sustained an unprecedented drought here in BC Interior. No rain to speak of since the snow thawed in March/April followed by a week of insane heat at the end of June with highs of 49' C!! These changing conditions have changed everything.
We saw our first 3 local fires during the second week of July before we made an 8 day trip back to Alberta- Saskatchewan to see family and friends. We almost cancelled our long awaited, 2 year post COVID visit because of these fires. These specific fires were caused by random dry lightening strikes. No rain, just lightening. BUT they all saw helicopter action within the first day and were suppressed. Within 2 days they were put our or barely smoldering. And lucky for us. We felt we could go on our trip and not leave our house sitter with the responsibility of loading my 3 horses and 4 cats in our old rig and driving to a safer area.
What happened with the big fires?? Not that the Sparks Lake or White Rock Fires would have fizzled after a day of aerial attention, but these fires started small and have become absolutely monstrous! We need to evaluate how we manage our forests and how we manage fighting forest fires. There is no possible way BC Forest Service will have enough equipment and manpower to fight the increasing numbers of forest fires. Resources need to be allocated but I think Ministry of Forest is forgetting about the resources found in every community. The people themselves.
Fred and I have argued about the best way to respond when we have been told to evacuate. This is our 3rd time to evacuate in 18 years, by the way! It seems like this is our future of summers here. Summers filled with worry, anxiety and tension. These fires are very real, very scary and highly controversial! The fear and terror of losing your home, your animals (large and small), your shop and equipment, the hay you just paid for, your important papers, photos, heirlooms, collectables, antiques, art, etc., just breaks your heart. Every single time. The emotional and psychological toll of fires threatening your homes does not lessen its effect the more often you go through it. It is just plain exhausting.
Each person does what they can at a moment's notice. I am always concerned with my fur babies and all the things needed (food, halters, carriers, meds, etc.) for an unknown number of days away from home. Then where do you take them? After organizing and loading them a person starts thinking of pictures, photos and papers. Where do you start and where do you stop? What can you live without? What decision will not cause self doubt? What is important, like really important?
Unfortunately this video shows the horrible affects of fires on the surrounding property and actual homes. Homes that were filled with dreams. Properties built with sweat and money and more dreams. I will follow up on how Fred reacted to this fire. He didn't leave. I did. I felt I needed to do the right thing as per provincial orders to evacuate our premises in hours. I began packing up my life, my family. Loading up my fur babies and all things deemed necessary and to run to safety. To get out while others will potentially be able to get in to our property to protect it.
In contrast, Fred stayed. However, nothing new there cause Fred and I are often at contrast with each other. While I was doing my thing Fred was busy placing sprinklers on the house and shop roofs. Weed whacking tall dry grass and raking dry leaves from the house perimeter. Then moving any flammable items from near buildings and tractors or trailers. He cut down an overly large, highly flammable juniper bush from beside the deck. He kept running to the river to refill multiple size water tanks to ensure they were full for potential fire fighters to use. Of course, equipped with pumps and hoses. Perhaps we need to learn more again from each other cause this third time around it still seems like we are practicing. Not getting it right. I was worried that our property would not be protected by suppression teams if Fred stayed. I was worried about a $10,000 fine. These are threats told to people who stay. I believe them and I don't want to hamper fire fighting efforts or be part of people being hurt. However, what if there are not enough people to do the job? Then what? Insurance, I guess. But in the market of today, rebuilding is phenomenally expensive and difficult to find contractors.
On her Facebook page yesterday she posted she returned home on Monday but left her animals until it's safe for them to return. This picture was earlier this year, I'm wondering what it looks like now. Those are her two horses. What a gorgeous view!
