Don’t forget Sutherland

Dear Editor: My neighbour and I read with much interest the plea made by Riddle Road residents about the lack of fire protection on their road and the reply from council (Herald, Aug. 16).

Yes, indeed, we fully agree with the statements made. However, I would like to address the situation on Sutherland Road where we are residents.

According to my count there are 22 homes on Sutherland Road including two on Sutherland Way. The first two houses on Sutherland Road have city water.

There are four properties which have agriculture water from the city due to having vineyards or some other form of farming. Two of the houses may have another address than Sutherland but their driveways come out on Sutherland.

Our neighbour and us have water rights on Turnbull Creek but that usually runs dry sometime in August which makes us and 14 neighbours totally depending on our wells.

We have lived here since 2000 and experienced the Okanagan Mountain fire in 2003. If the wind had not changed that fateful night, our house would have been gone for sure. Sadly Kelowna received the brunt of that fire but we were spared.

I would like to remind council that we have already been evacuated once this year due to the fire on the KVR. The Crown land behind us is not easily accessible and the danger is far from over.

In the early 2000s we had a meeting with some city staff about this problem but nothing was accomplished.

All we're asking is that if Riddle Road is getting fire protection, Sutherland Road should get the same. We are truly sitting on a tinder box here. Leo and Trinka Pontes

Penticton