Jayel,

Are you living close to the fire? I was wondering. It must be terrible
for those who have to leave their house for security.

Fran=E7oise.

Hi Francoise,
Thanks for thinking of me and my neighbours here in..well, hot and smoky
B.C.
I live in Kamloops which is in the middle of all the conflagration.
Townships up the northern valley all the way from Kamloops to Barrierre(Some
60 km away) have had to evacuate to Kamloops. That's 10,000 people that had
to spend the entire long weekend living in motels, evac centers or friends
and families homes not knowing whether they had homes of their own to go
back to. Many had to leave pets and livestock behind ( how to you evacuate
two hundred head of cattle in twenty minutes? which was all the notice some
people had.)
One entire community was lost to the flames. Louis Creek consisted of about
forty homes. All gone now. Many of the residents could see their homes
burning behind them as they left. Another forty or so homes and bussinesses
in Barriere are also torched. Many of the homeowners do not know yet if
their house was one of them. Officials want to do a lot by lot assesment
before they let them know so as to avoid mistakes and undue heartbreak, but
the homeowners are getting angry and upset anyway.
Knowing is better than not knowing.
Those closer to Kamloops were lucky. Thier homes are still intact and they
all returned home today. They are still on evacuation alert as are many
other small communities in the area including Sun Peaks, a ski resort up in
the mountains. They lost all their revenue this weekend since they had a
major festival planned. All the tourists were evacuated, but the residents
were put on alert.
There's another big fire near Vernon, about 50 km south east of Kamloops.
This fire is in a more heavily forested area and is spreading fast. Still
is! Towns in that area are of course on alert, but little damage has been
done to homes. Another fire started last night in the Wells Grey Park some
80km north west. This is in valuable park land that is famous for
hiking,canoeing, white water rafting, waterfalls, you name it! In all there
are 350 fires burning in B.C. and most are just burning wild because there
are not enough fire fighters or air support to deal with them.
The support for those who are evacuated has been both wonderful and
astonishing. Kamloopsians opened their doors, wallets and cupboards for
them, and so did Vancouverites. 7 truckloads of bedding, clothes, toys, food
and water came to Kamloops today from a major tv station which asked for
donations from the public in Vancouver. A large drug chain drug store send 5
or 6 trucks with personal supplies and water. The SPCA have been rounding up
stray animals in the evacuated areas and housing them as best they can. A
rodeo complex in Kamloops has taken in horses and cattle.Donations of animal
food have been appearing at the SPCA and the rodeo grounds. It's just
incredible how people have jumped in to help in any way they can!
Sorry for the long speech. I kind of needed to unload. It was pretty scary
when I woke up fron a nap on Friday afternoon to find the mountain across
the river from me in flames and spending the last four days not knowing
whether you would be hearing a knock on the door in the middle of the night,
and someone telling you to leave your home, now! The devastation is awful
and my heart goes out to those who've lost their homes and property.
--
Jayel
"Françoise" wrote in message
...
Jayel,

Are you living close to the fire? I was wondering. It must be terrible
for those who have to leave their house for security.

Françoise.

Jayel,

Reading your description, I lost all the words I could use to express my
feelings. I can say: =93 I can imagine=94 but I really cannot imagine wha=
t you are
experimenting; you and your neighbors. When I ask you the question, I cou=
ld not
realize how close you were to the disaster. You must live a life of const=
ant
fear. It is in time like this that we discover the goodness of people and=
their
generosity.

Lets hope that you get lots of rain soon. When you think that we have had=
more
share of rain this year. It is one thing that we cannot share.

I was so impressed by your letter that I decide to send it to my husband =
whose
computer is just in the next room. I thought he would be interested to re=
ad it.
When I send him something by e-mail, I shout what he should expect in his=
e-mail
from me. He told me that he listen the radio yesterday and one firefighte=
r said
that as he inspected the side of one road, he found at least 60 cigarette=
buds
on the side of a few 100 feet.

Before I got married, I went out with a boy that smoked and use to throw =
his
cigarettes through the window while driving. It made me mad and mad me th=
ink
that he may be a careless person then I quit going out with him.

Even when the fires will be completely out, your problems will be far fro=
m gone.
For many the real problems will just be starting. Losing a house like thi=
s is
like losing part of ourselves; our souvenirs and all those memories.

I hope that in Kamloops your house will be spared. I guest you can do not=
hing
more than hope and pray.

Fran=E7oise.

"J. Lane" wrote:

Hi Francoise,
Thanks for thinking of me and my neighbours here in..well, hot and smok=
y
B.C.
I live in Kamloops which is in the middle of all the conflagration.
Townships up the northern valley all the way from Kamloops to Barrierre=
(Some
60 km away) have had to evacuate to Kamloops. That's 10,000 people that=
had
to spend the entire long weekend living in motels, evac centers or frie=
nds
and families homes not knowing whether they had homes of their own to g=
o
back to. Many had to leave pets and livestock behind ( how to you evacu=
ate
two hundred head of cattle in twenty minutes? which was all the notice =
some
people had.)
One entire community was lost to the flames. Louis Creek consisted of a=
bout
forty homes. All gone now. Many of the residents could see their homes
burning behind them as they left. Another forty or so homes and bussine=
sses
in Barriere are also torched. Many of the homeowners do not know yet if=

their house was one of them. Officials want to do a lot by lot assesmen=
t
before they let them know so as to avoid mistakes and undue heartbreak,=
but
the homeowners are getting angry and upset anyway.
Knowing is better than not knowing.
Those closer to Kamloops were lucky. Thier homes are still intact and t=
hey
all returned home today. They are still on evacuation alert as are many=

other small communities in the area including Sun Peaks, a ski resort u=
p in
the mountains. They lost all their revenue this weekend since they had =
a
major festival planned. All the tourists were evacuated, but the reside=
nts
were put on alert.
There's another big fire near Vernon, about 50 km south east of Kamloop=
s.
This fire is in a more heavily forested area and is spreading fast. Sti=
ll
is! Towns in that area are of course on alert, but little damage has be=
en
done to homes. Another fire started last night in the Wells Grey Park s=
ome
80km north west. This is in valuable park land that is famous for
hiking,canoeing, white water rafting, waterfalls, you name it! In all t=
here
are 350 fires burning in B.C. and most are just burning wild because th=
ere
are not enough fire fighters or air support to deal with them.
The support for those who are evacuated has been both wonderful and
astonishing. Kamloopsians opened their doors, wallets and cupboards for=

them, and so did Vancouverites. 7 truckloads of bedding, clothes, toys,=
food
and water came to Kamloops today from a major tv station which asked fo=
r
donations from the public in Vancouver. A large drug chain drug store s=
end 5
or 6 trucks with personal supplies and water. The SPCA have been roundi=
ng up
stray animals in the evacuated areas and housing them as best they can.=
A
rodeo complex in Kamloops has taken in horses and cattle.Donations of a=
nimal
food have been appearing at the SPCA and the rodeo grounds. It's just
incredible how people have jumped in to help in any way they can!
Sorry for the long speech. I kind of needed to unload. It was pretty sc=
ary
when I woke up fron a nap on Friday afternoon to find the mountain acro=
ss
the river from me in flames and spending the last four days not knowing=

whether you would be hearing a knock on the door in the middle of the n=
ight,
and someone telling you to leave your home, now! The devastation is awf=
ul
and my heart goes out to those who've lost their homes and property.
--
Jayel
"Fran=E7oise" wrote in message
...
Jayel,

Are you living close to the fire? I was wondering. It must be terrible
for those who have to leave their house for security.

Fran=E7oise.

Hi Francoise,
Thanks for the e-mail. Funny that on one side of the country your all wet
and flooded, and on the other side I'm all dry and burning. Life and weather
are weird that way sometimes.
The immediate danger of Kamloops burning is pretty much over thanks to all
the fire crews who fought so hared to contain the Strawberry Hill fire (the
one I could see from my front yard). But the fires are still not totally out
especially the McLure fire just up the valley. Fires, it seems, are named
after the origin of the fire. Yes, careless smokers caused the fires! They
should be made accountable in some way, but only the person responsible for
the McLure fire has come forward. He knew better too. He's a fire fighter!
Yesterday was another anxious day. We were expecting lightning storms and
got them. 40 new fires started last night, but are small and away from
towns.The fire crews have dealt with some of them. High winds have made the
large fires worse. The largest is 12,000 hectares in size, the one near
Kamloops is 5,000 hectares. Yesterday evening, I saw a huge pyroclastic
cloud coming from the top of Strawberry Hill. It was about 300 meters high.
Today, people living in Barriere and Louis Creek found out whether or not
they have lost their homes. Words cannot describe how badly I feel for them.
I give over to tears often thinking about what they have had to face in the
last 6 days and what they will continue to face.
It doesn't look as though we'll be getting any rain in the next few days but
that also means no high winds or lightning storms either which is a
blessing. The situation will improve. I will keep you posted.
--
Jayel
"Françoise" wrote in message
...
Jayel,

Reading your description, I lost all the words I could use to express my
feelings. I can say: " I can imagine" but I really cannot imagine what you
are
experimenting; you and your neighbors. When I ask you the question, I could
not
realize how close you were to the disaster. You must live a life of constant
fear. It is in time like this that we discover the goodness of people and
their
generosity.

Lets hope that you get lots of rain soon. When you think that we have had
more
share of rain this year. It is one thing that we cannot share.

I was so impressed by your letter that I decide to send it to my husband
whose
computer is just in the next room. I thought he would be interested to read
it.
When I send him something by e-mail, I shout what he should expect in his
e-mail
from me. He told me that he listen the radio yesterday and one firefighter
said
that as he inspected the side of one road, he found at least 60 cigarette
buds
on the side of a few 100 feet.

Before I got married, I went out with a boy that smoked and use to throw his
cigarettes through the window while driving. It made me mad and mad me think
that he may be a careless person then I quit going out with him.

Even when the fires will be completely out, your problems will be far from
gone.
For many the real problems will just be starting. Losing a house like this
is
like losing part of ourselves; our souvenirs and all those memories.

I hope that in Kamloops your house will be spared. I guest you can do
nothing
more than hope and pray.

Françoise.

"J. Lane" wrote:

Hi Francoise,
Thanks for thinking of me and my neighbours here in..well, hot and smoky
B.C.
I live in Kamloops which is in the middle of all the conflagration.
Townships up the northern valley all the way from Kamloops to
Barrierre(Some
60 km away) have had to evacuate to Kamloops. That's 10,000 people that
had
to spend the entire long weekend living in motels, evac centers or friends
and families homes not knowing whether they had homes of their own to go
back to. Many had to leave pets and livestock behind ( how to you evacuate
two hundred head of cattle in twenty minutes? which was all the notice
some
people had.)
One entire community was lost to the flames. Louis Creek consisted of
about
forty homes. All gone now. Many of the residents could see their homes
burning behind them as they left. Another forty or so homes and
bussinesses
in Barriere are also torched. Many of the homeowners do not know yet if
their house was one of them. Officials want to do a lot by lot assesment
before they let them know so as to avoid mistakes and undue heartbreak,
but
the homeowners are getting angry and upset anyway.
Knowing is better than not knowing.
Those closer to Kamloops were lucky. Thier homes are still intact and they
all returned home today. They are still on evacuation alert as are many
other small communities in the area including Sun Peaks, a ski resort up
in
the mountains. They lost all their revenue this weekend since they had a
major festival planned. All the tourists were evacuated, but the residents
were put on alert.
There's another big fire near Vernon, about 50 km south east of Kamloops.
This fire is in a more heavily forested area and is spreading fast. Still
is! Towns in that area are of course on alert, but little damage has been
done to homes. Another fire started last night in the Wells Grey Park some
80km north west. This is in valuable park land that is famous for
hiking,canoeing, white water rafting, waterfalls, you name it! In all
there
are 350 fires burning in B.C. and most are just burning wild because there
are not enough fire fighters or air support to deal with them.
The support for those who are evacuated has been both wonderful and
astonishing. Kamloopsians opened their doors, wallets and cupboards for
them, and so did Vancouverites. 7 truckloads of bedding, clothes, toys,
food
and water came to Kamloops today from a major tv station which asked for
donations from the public in Vancouver. A large drug chain drug store send
5
or 6 trucks with personal supplies and water. The SPCA have been rounding
up
stray animals in the evacuated areas and housing them as best they can. A
rodeo complex in Kamloops has taken in horses and cattle.Donations of
animal
food have been appearing at the SPCA and the rodeo grounds. It's just
incredible how people have jumped in to help in any way they can!
Sorry for the long speech. I kind of needed to unload. It was pretty scary
when I woke up fron a nap on Friday afternoon to find the mountain across
the river from me in flames and spending the last four days not knowing
whether you would be hearing a knock on the door in the middle of the
night,
and someone telling you to leave your home, now! The devastation is awful
and my heart goes out to those who've lost their homes and property.
--
Jayel
"Françoise" wrote in message
...
Jayel,

Are you living close to the fire? I was wondering. It must be terrible
for those who have to leave their house for security.

Françoise.