Canada Talk » feuer zertört häuser in Kelowna

hallo

im wald zu wohnen oder am waldrand ist nicht immer lustig

hier was aus BC

Fire forces thousands to flee homes in Kelowna

Blaze in B.C. Interior has destroyed three houses and is threatening several more, officials say

quelle
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...article1223752/

auf dem foto sieht es nicht gut aus für einige weitere häuser

Zitat

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A raging forest fire in Kelowna, B.C., has forced 3,000 residents to flee their homes.

The B.C. Forest Service said Saturday that the 50-hectare blaze has destroyed three houses and is threatening at least 12 more.

The large Gorman Brothers sawmill, with stacks of stored lumber, is also threatened.

The mass evacuation has created traffic jams along a section of Highway 97 as strong winds fan the growing fire.

Kelowna resident Merl Fichtner said his father is one of the many people who must leave the area.

“He's pretty shook up,” Mr. Fichtner said. “He was looking immediately west and he could see and hear houses exploding on the hillside.”

Forestry crews are using six helicopters and four water bombers to attack the fire from the air.

They've put 25 provincial firefighters on the ground, backed by the resources of local fire departments in the Kelowna area.

It's unclear how the fire started Saturday afternoon near the residential subdivision of Glenrosa in the B.C. Interior city.

An arena about 10 kilometres away has been converted into a reception centre for those affected by the evacuation.

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kommentare

Hap1, the fire is (right now anyhow) further west; the first fire started at the western end of what is known as West Kelowna/Westbank and spread quickly across the highway. At 10:30 tonight my hubby and I saw smoke in a different area, much closer to the Kelowna side and then saw the flames. This is another fire. All of Kelowna proper is filled with smoke and the winds are strong. This will not be a fire with minimal damage.

hallo

update

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An update from Kelowna..

There are three separate fires burning, the Glenrosa fire has grown to 300 hectares, the Rose Valley fire is at 20 hectares, both of which are reported to be 0% contained, and the Terrace Mounatain fire, which a couple hours ago was a reported 65 hectares. They have evacuated approximately 4000 homes so far affecting approximately 10,000 people.

I would like to say how proud i am of my community for coming together in a time of need and showing amazing compassion. A huge number of people are opening their homes to evacuues and pets, donating blankets, pillows, bedding, etc. THANK YOU, this world is a better place with people like you in it.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by these fires. Stay strong.

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Zitat

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I just returned from the community center that is handling registration for those evacuated. Rough estimate would be 6,000 people we put through. Salvation Army are hellping feed those who have no place to go. Beds are set up for anyone neding a place to sleep.

A second major fire is now raging in the Rose Valley (closer to Kelowna) area and more people have been ordered out.

Fire ash is landing some 10 miles away in Kelowna.

This is not a good situation however all resources are working well as a team.

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update nr. 2

Zitat

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Nine houses claimed in 300-hectare Kelowna-area forest fire

OKANAGAN — The forest fire burning up the Glenrosa area of West Kelowna has claimed nine houses, forced the evacuation of 4,500 more — and continues to spread.

Dry conditions, strong wind and hot weather have spurred on the fire, which increased in a matter of hours to 300 hectares from 15 hectares Saturday evening.

So far, at least nine homes have been destroyed, Forests Minister Pat Bell told Global TV. He said the fire has the potential to be worse than a 2003 fire that destroyed more than 200 homes.

He said residents should be "prepared to move if they have to."

Airplanes combatting the flames have been grounded for the night, but are scheduled to be back in the air by 5 a.m., Bell added.

Earlier, the fire jumped Highway 97 — closed in both directions from Peachland to the junction with Westside Road — and began moving east towards Okanagan Lake, the ministry's website said.

About 10,000 residents have fled 4,500 homes, according to a news release from the Kelowna emergency operations centre.

Another 20 hectare fire is burning near the Rose Valley Reservoir, the release added.

Evacuees were being sent to Mount Boucherie secondary school, Turpin said, as well as Royal LePage Place, a 1,500-seat arena.

The West Kelowna Fire Department is fighting the fire with B.C. Forest Services with assistance from the Peachland and Kelowna fire departments.

Forty-five firefighters from the B.C. Forest Service, along with three groups of air tankers and five helicopters are battling the blaze, according to a news release from the Ministry of Forests.

At the request of the fire department, BC Hydro cut the power to nearly 4,000 area residents.

Residents affected by the fire were asked to call 250-469-8490.

West Kelowna has a population of 29,000 and is in the midst of a heat wave with no relief in sight as temperatures are expected to reach the mid-30s Celsius for the next seven days.

In 2003, a 250 square-kilometre fire ravaged Okanagan Mountain Park and led to the evacuation of about 27,000 people and destruction of over 200 homes.

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http://www.timescolonist.com/Kelowna+are...5180/story.html

Alle Jahre wieder ... 2003 gab es hier das letzte grosse Feuer auf der anderen Seite des Sees. Von meinem Arbeitsplatz in Vernon konnte ich die riesige dunkelgraue Rauchwand sehr gut sehen. Auch hier in Vernon gab es gestern ein Feuer. Die Trockenheit ist dieses Jahr ist wieder extrem und uns plagt eine Hitzewelle von ueber 35C und das seit einigen Tagen ... Luftfeuchtigkeit unglaubliche 19% !!!

Ist hier in und um Kamloops genauso...nur gut dass wir noch kein Feuer hier haben...

Gruesse aus Kamloops
Dieter

Eines der drei Feuer in/bei Kelowna von unserem property aus. Zum Glueck ist es heute nicht so windig, gut fuer die firefighters, aber der Rauch setzt sich trotzdem ueberall fest.

update

die kommentare zum artikel sind interessant

hallo

update

Officials with B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch say the most harmful wildfire burning in the Okanagan is 40 per cent contained.

The blaze, which broke out Saturday at about 2 p.m. in West Kelowna, is being fought by 125 firefighters, eight air tankers, 10 helicopters and several pieces of heavy machinery.

Approximately 11,000 people in the Glenrosa area remain under an evacuation order, and an additional 6,500 people are under an evacuation alert.

Since the fire started Saturday afternoon, flames have destroyed at least nine buildings, including three houses, and charred 3.5 square kilometres in West Kelowna.

Thick smoke in the area led officials to close Highway 97 in both directions where it connects to Highway 97C.

Residents affected by the evacuation order are being asked to report to emergency evacuation reception centres at Royal LePage Place at 2760 Cameron Rd. and Mount Boucherie Secondary School at 2751 Cameron Rd.

Concerned residents or relatives can call 1-250-469-8490. Residents who are unable to reach evacuation centres are asked to call 778-797-2269.
An aerial view of the fire at Terrace Mountain, near Fintry, Sunday evening.An aerial view of the fire at Terrace Mountain, near Fintry, Sunday evening. (Lisa Johnson/CBC)

Meanwhile, a fire burning on Terrace Mountain near Fintry, north of the Glenrosa fire, is still out of control

Officials said Sunday evening that fire is estimated to cover 8.5 square kilometers, up from just 2.5 square kilometres earlier in the day, but it is not threatening any homes or other buildings.

More than 60 firefighters are on scene, along with four helicopters.

Officials believe the fire was caused by a person.

A smaller fire four kilometres from the Glenrosa blaze in the Rose Valley Reservoir continued to burn Sunday. That blaze is estimated to be one square kilometre in size.

More than 1,500 people were put on evacuation alert Sunday morning as crews struggled to lay a line of fire retardant around the fire. By Sunday afternoon, officials said firefighters managed to surround 90 per cent of the fire.

Officials say they believe that fire was caused by a person, but the details are still under investigation.


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/



besonders interesant sind die kommentare zu diesem feuer von leuten - die dort wohnen - die findet man am ende des artikels

wie zum beispiel

This is just another forest fire people, yes it's a shame it displaces so many people and puts property at risk, but when you interface real estate into areas where fire is a risk, then you take your chances. Just like people who complain of bears entering their interfaced property, these things will happen.

No one's to blame, it happens and we must deal with it. Perhaps it would be better if this desert climate had sand instead of trees and brush, but who'd want to live there?

Bringing in thousands of people in the old days was a joke compared to what can be accomplished now with highly trained individuals in charge, with Satelite, air, and ground support.

Fighting these fires is extremely expensive and risky to those fighting it. Let's just hope no one looses their life for it. and that it can be extiguished in due time.


oder

Perhaps we are expanding our towns into areas where it's not safe to build for a large population. If you look back into the history of our province, you will find quite a number of mining and forestry towns that were destroyed by forest fire in the 19th century. The difference is, then a few thousand people were at risk, now it's tens of thousands. We feel safe because of large firefighting crews and aircraft, but Nature is still overwhelming. Good luck to Kelowna, but this will probably happen again and again.

oder

These destructive fires are becoming a predictable source of angst each year - and they are likely to get worse with climate change, less rain fall and hotter summers with long stretches of dry weather.

Ich fand die Aeuserung des Fire Chiefs auch interessant der sagte: "Wir kennen die Ursache des Feuers noch nicht aber wir wissen es war kein Blitzschlag!:)"

Gruesse aus Kamloops
Dieter

Angaben von the Provinz , " KELOWNA — The three fires blazing across West Kelowna are believed to be human-caused, forestry officials said Monday.

A four-person investigation team is conducting an examination into the fires' causes.

"We're hoping they were not deliberately set, and we have no reason to believe they were deliberately set," said Rob Moore of B.C. Forest Services.

Given Saturday's weather conditions and the dryness of the environment, Moore said something as small as an improperly put-out bonfire could have started a wildfire.

In repsonse to speculation that motorbikes in the Glenrosa area could have started the blaze, he said it was a possibility, but added that at this point there is no way to confirm that."

Und Vancouver Sun schreibt: "Fire officials suspect all three fires west of Okanagan Lake caused by humans."

Die investigitionen werden wohl noch eine weile dauern, auch nicht leicht werden. Aber im moment ist es wichtiger die braende unter kontrolle zu bekommen, ist auch wirklich schrecklich dort zur zeit.!

@ Cadwalader- Ich hoffe fuer euch das ihr davon verschont bleibt!!!

hallo

die neuen nachrichten

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbi...fire-homes.html

sieht auf den bildern übel aus

hier gibts auch infos - bilder und videos

http://www.castanet.net/

und hier gibts weitere fotos

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...1224970/#photos