As I look out my window I see flames heading up the mountain across the lake. Really tough as it brings back the memories of 03. They have evacuated 10 thousand people so far and there have been some houses burned to the ground. Started out as an innocent afternoon with a smaller downtown car show but pretty soon all the attention was on the smoke coming up from across the lake. We need the wind to slow down to give the firefighting crew a chance. Pretty scary.
I just saw all the info on the news I have a friend who lives up the hill from the mill. He has been ordered out and is staying in his travel trailer Thoughts are with all of you folks up in Kelowna
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Life is not about arriving to the grave safely in a well preserved body other to go skidding in sideways yelling out holy s*#t what a ride
Just to give you all an update.Glenrosa fire is now 300 hectares and rose valley fire is 75 hectares and growing fast.there is also a fire further away on Terrace mountain that is 100 hectares.These are burning on either side of my house.Evacuations are about a half a click away on either side.Im hoping i dont get a notice but just to be sure i have a deck truck on call to get my car out of here.The main hwy through the valley has been closed.Im not in any immediate danger but alot of my friends live in Glenrosa and are evacuated.Some are staying with me now but we all might have to leave here as well.
-- Edited by Gengiskhan on Sunday 19th of July 2009 11:06:25 AM
-- Edited by Gengiskhan on Sunday 19th of July 2009 11:21:24 AM
Those shots on the news of that bomber dropping it's load right by the guys front window were amazing. Brings back being evacuated from the Salmon Arm fire and watching the Kamloops fire from a buddies pool hoping the winds didn't bring it our way. The best of luck to you guys in the west of Kelowna.
Our prayers are with you guys. Hopefully the weather will break and you'll get some rain. We are in the Shuswap Lakes area on holidays and still hope for rain cause its so dry.
Thats some scary S**T! I saw some of the devastation after '03 when I went out there for vacation. My prayers are with you and all the people that are affected by this.
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
Oh wow Jerel. Please keep us updated. It seems to be the year for disasters. Now I know how helpless it feels to be so far away and not have any way to offer you help.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars (now converted to a "factory" 4 speed)
I just drove home from Kamloops, and had to take the long route through Princeton to get home as the Coquihalla connector and Hwy 97 are both closed. I have a few friends in that area too, and they are evacuated. They managed to go home and get their pets though.
I think we are fairly fortunate so far. Sounds like only 2 or 3 houses have burned and the fires are concentrated away from the houses for the time being but with evening coming and if the wind picks up we only know too well what can happen. There are 3 different fires with 1 being 40 % contained and the other 2 have very little containment. The sky is just black. From my place the flames are not as visible as last night but it is in the mountains so it can be roaring on the other side. Just hoping for a calm evening and also tomorrow.
Just to give you all an update.Glenrosa fire is now 300 hectares and rose valley fire is 75 hectares and growing fast.there is also a fire further away on Terrace mountain that is 100 hectares.These are burning on either side of my house.Evacuations are about a half a click away on either side.Im hoping i dont get a notice but just to be sure i have a deck truck on call to get my car out of here.The main hwy through the valley has been closed.Im not in any immediate danger but alot of my friends live in Glenrosa and are evacuated.Some are staying with me now but we all might have to leave here as well.
-- Edited by Gengiskhan on Sunday 19th of July 2009 11:06:25 AM
-- Edited by Gengiskhan on Sunday 19th of July 2009 11:21:24 AM
Holly crap Chuck!!! Drop me a line if I can help. Us Dutch folk have to stick together. We are family after all.
Thanks Paul and everyone for the well wishes.Like jmont64 said it seems to be staying away from populated areas for now.That can change at any moment.The glenrosa fire jumped a 6 lane(4 lanes and 2 merge lanes) hwy and continued on its way down the hillside at an phenominal speed.Almost everyone i know is on evac. notice but im still safe.Have a few friends staying with me.Firefighters are doing a fantastic job fighting it and i really appreciate what they are doing.I feel they are in more danger than i am.There are reports of scumbags looting the evac'd areas.
I have to go back to Calgary tomorrow morning, and the highway is still closed. So I thought I'd go through Osoyoos and Highway 3. Now I hear there's a fire between Okanagan Falls and Oliver. Not much information yet about where, but things are very dry here. We've had 1/3 our normal rainfall and no end in sight for the hot weather.
