Super-human effort by fire crews, support

Dear Editor:

It was an interesting way to spend a Friday ...waiting for Penticton to end up in a shroud of raging flames. The crews were so well experienced and co-ordinated it was exciting to watch all the action.

Everyone was tense with anticipation for the forecasted howling winds that did materialize — more ferocious then we imagined. Even daughter Laura had a City of Vernon fire engine parked outside her house. Fire engine ready for the screaming chucks of flaming ash which have so rapidly spread the fire across the hills.

We had 18 helicopters constantly dropping water on every ash that dared leave the fire. Everyone was warned to remove every flammable piece of anything outside that might allow a spark to ignite — propane tanks, lawn furniture, cushions, umbrellas, toys, laundry, bush piles, lawn clippings, etc. Firefighters even cleared people’s property for them to be sure every property in the evacuation alert area (3,660 homes) was cleared of combustibles.

Three types of water/retardant bombers worked nonstop, fire crews from so many different agencies working together, over 160 ground crews all working long hours. Fire equipment and firefighters came from even the tiniest towns around B.C. Various fire departments and First Nation fire personnel, police, City of Penticton, Forestry Service workers, Search and Rescue, firefighting aircraft and Regional District people efficiently cooperated and worked together on a plan to change the direction of the fire and turn it away from Penticton.

The wind arrived suddenly from a smoky, calm sky and instantly was raging from the south, determined to blast the whole fire directly at Penticton. It was like being hard of hearing all your life and suddenly hearing a freight train bearing down on you. Terrifying to hear and watch. I tried to phone Laura during the blasts and the wind made it impossible to hear her. Just a huge roaring tearing her voice away.

We sat on our deck and marveled at the whole show. We had to close all our windows to keep from having the inside of the house rearranged. Now I know what they mean be a fire storm. It was scarily awesome.

The crews won. They did a fantastic job. Most of the fire shifted just enough. Saturday morning was clear and calm. Backyards were scorched, but homes were saved.

How do you thank people for such brilliant, super-human effort?

Roberta Carleton

Penticton