Fires ...

[Islander]

Things are getting dramatic in southeastern BC as well.  Kelowna, not far north of the Washington State border, faces Lake Okanagan, a long narrow lake that looks to be roughly a kilometre (1/2-3/4 mile) across.  On the far side is a line of hills.  Over a period of a day, the fire rose over the hills, then overnight it crossed the lake.  The heat generated by the very dry trees causes such updrafts that hot embers were able to travel across the lake and start fires on the Kelowna side, which spread rapidly.  Kelowna is now being evacuated.

 

Not far away, a flame front advanced 20 kilometres/12 miles in 12 hours.  Scary stuff!

[Islander]

On 8/18/2023 at 5:57 PM, oldtimer said:

The problem as with many places is corruption.  Developers pay off the government.  Gee.  Think about it if you have the skills.  It takes a special kind of idiot to look the other way.

Municipal politics always seem to be the most corrupt, in most areas.

[Islander]

12 hours ago, Marvel said:

Stepson working at the hospital in Merritt, BC, has told us patients were moved from Kelowna to Merritt and they've been really busy.

 

There's nothing close to Merritt at this time. I installed an app the shows data, maps/locations for all the BC fires.

 

 

 

This year a threshold was crossed.  In more than 20 years of living on Vancouver Island, wildfires have always been very small in size and quickly put out.  This year was the first time I've heard the words "out of control" in regard to fires on the Island.  Even so, they're not very widespread, which is something.

[Tom05]

While Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season ever and suffering much destruction and air pollution, many will blame these fires on arson, tree hugging or poorly managed forests. Others will point to the very hot dry weather as the primary cause of these fires , and will also point to the weather’s probable relationship to climate change. Both arguments fall short of telling a complete story, solutions for these complex problems require scientific analysis rather than political talking points alone.

[the real Duke Spinner]

several weeks sgo we had a very strong Smoke smell in UpState NY

jusy how many freakin Miles is that ??

[Marvel]

Looking at news for the area around Kamloops, BC. THE Kamloops Fire Rescue Twitter feed post a pic of new recruits. I couldn't help myself, but this is cute:

 

 

[oldtimer]

Manny, Moe, and Jack?

Or Larry, Moe, and Curly?

[YK Thom]

On 8/18/2023 at 4:37 AM, Marvel said:

Thinking this a.m. of all the tragic fires burning in so many places.

 

Now folks are being evacuated from Yellowknife in the NWT. Hoping Thom @YK Thom is doing OK.

 

And the pain of the Maui fire

Hi all, I haven't had time to log in. We were evacuated from YK and made our way down to Peace River Alberta. All in all things have gone well. The cat traveled pretty well and the people in Peace River have been fantastic. Most went down to Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary. My wife has relations here and it is in northern Alberta so our turn around driving time will be less - only 11 hours or so. My wife is considered essential so we have been given the go ahead to return on Tuesday the 5th.

[Marvel]

So glad to hear that.

[YK Thom]

 

Thanks, it has been a crazy couple weeks. Trying to keep up with a massive workflow online to boot. Had to pick up a laptop, just have a desk top at home. Still smokey as anything down here though.

 

We got away later on the day and had to stop in High Level overnight. Pretty much the last room in town. Moved south to Peace River the next morning. Had Golda on leash and Cindy took a picture of her on the hood of the Jeep before we left town.

[YK Thom]

We made it back to Yellowknife on Tuesday. My department put me on the early arrival list as essential, so both of us were on the list at the check stop. Have been working like a dervish since Wednesday. Such a backlog. Back into the office tomorrow ( Sept 10th),for a day of overtime. Hopefully by the end of the week things will be caught up enough for us to enjoy the High Holidays. Won't be able to take any time off work other than Yom Kippur of course.

Tonight we are sipping a few pints and listening to some Steely Dan whilst I make date honey (silan), for Rosh Hashanah.