Firefighters battle in Kelowna

Firefighters battle in Kelowna
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Aug. 6, 2003


A five-person crew of Burnaby firefighters was dispatched to Kamloops last weekend to aid in the massive effort to fight forest fires across the province.

The Burnaby crew, along with a hose truck and auxiliary vehicle, will be posted in a region that, as of Sunday, was experiencing as many as 306 of the total 337 forest fires burning in the province.

A total of 2,000 firefighters are battling the blazes, including 449 people from out of province and 48 helicopters. According to media reports up to 10 a.m. Tuesday, as many as 8,000 people have been evacuated from their homes.

"We have a crew in Kamloops helping to protect the city," Burnaby assistant fire chief Fred Scarfe said Tuesday morning.

The crew, headed by chief Bob Cook, includes the city's chief mechanic Alan Grey plus three other firefighters. They will remain in the Interior city until further notice.

On Saturday, premier Gordon Campbell declared a state of emergency in the entire province due to the fires, which are currently costing about $2.5 million per day to battle.

While an estimated 2,000 volunteers were helping with the firefighting efforts, efforts were also underway to collect bottled water, sleeping bags and other necessities for the thousands of people left homeless by the flames.

People who are worried about family or friends who have been evacuated because of the fires can call the Red Cross at 1-888-350- 6070.

For up-to-date information on the status of the wildfire situation, visit the Provincial emergency Program Web site at www.pep.bc.ca