Any of you affected by the fires

odiej · 08-05-2003, 12:17 AM

We are about 35 km away from the closest fire. It is definately getting scary around here there are alot of communities around us that are already evacuated. It is very smokey here but is doesn't take our breath away yet.

diana24 · 08-07-2003, 02:49 AM

Actually, we were one of the evacuatees...We were lucky, we are from Rayleigh, not from Lewic Creek or Barriere.
To be more precise, my fiance and his family are from here. We have just arrived from Korea and on my first day in Kamloops, we are evacuated from here. We had NO time and I mean no time to get our things...We had to go to Walmart and get underwear, toothbrushes etc., It was horrible.
We were downtown and looking out my future FIL's window when we saw a little smoke rising from Strawberry Hill. Michael said, yikes we better get back. His family was hosting this HUGE family dinner as a "welcome back to Canada/Lets meet your fiance" event in Rayleigh. By the time we got to the highway leading there, it was like a nuclear bomb went off. No more than 15 minutes had past. Smoke everywhere, flames, tonnes of planes circling. It was devastating, just horrible to see. We were talking to people who had farms and cattle on those hills. So sad to see them, knowing full well that everything they own would be destroyed. Monday we were let back in but it was hard not knowing whether your stuff or their house was still there. Lots of soot everywhere and when I look out of the livingroom window you can still see lots of smoke coming from the Hill. Really terrible. My first time in BC....what a welcome

We are really grateful tho...

1tricky1 · 08-07-2003, 03:05 AM

hi there where abouts r u? im in penticton.. we had the fire in osooyoos and it was pretty smokey ,raining ash but not to smelly.. its so hard to imagine so much of bc up in flames most of them caused by humans ugg we see water bombers and fire retardant planes all the time here too... take care vicky

ak82 · 08-07-2003, 03:15 AM

I can smell the fires from Barriere, but I'm a safe distance away. There was a fire in the park across the street from my house the other day!! It went out quickly but could have been worse, but luckily it wasn't windy. It was still scary though.

Vanessa · 08-07-2003, 04:41 PM

I am on the Island so not affected by the big fires but even we had a couple of fires last week. We live on the outskirts of Victoria so it is all forested and the danger is so high it is scary. I was at one of the local lakes last week and a fire started up at the far end of the lake as we watched. The RCMP came and evacuated us all from the lake and the fire was out by nightfall but very scary nonetheless! I want to wish all you cysters in the interior safety and I hope you all come through this unscathed! Diana you certainly have had an exciting welcome to BC lol! I keep thinking that this is yet another reason for people to quit smoking!

odiej · 08-09-2003, 04:02 AM

Hello there Ladies

First off Welcome back to Canada and to BC Dianna, i am glad you and all of your fiance's family are safe. I am sure glad all is well on your home front, you all must have been devastated by all of this.

From what we have heard all of the fires are 90% contained so that is a good sign. We had a little bit of rain here in Kamloops tonight, I sure wish it was alot more tho.

Again welcome to BC and to the Kamloops area.