10 Years Since BC’s Worst Modern Wildfire
Kamloops, BC – Today marks the 10 year anniversary since the start of a devastating wildfire that raged through Barriere, McLure and razed Louis Creek. It was sparked by the careless tossing of a cigarette back on July 30th, 2003.
"When the smoke cleared, the McLure wildfire had consumed 72 homes and nine businesses," says Forests Minister, Steve Thomson. "The fire burned for 75 days and grew to a total of 26,420-hectares in size – and the McLure fire was only one of 25 Type 1 fires that personnel responded to that summer."
"Roughly 3,800 residents were evacuated from their homes, 800 of which were evacuated for a second time."
In the end, the dollar value of damage was pegged at $8.2-million dollars. Thomson says 2003 is "synonomous with wildfire in British Columbia."
And, with the recent trend of hot weather continuing, the minister is urging residents to be extra vigilant with their outdoor activities, including: lighting and extinguishing campfires, driving all-terrain vehicles, and disposing of cigarettes.
Comments
Virtually no one remembers the fires though but everyone remembers the Kelowna fires because million dollar homes burnt down which was apparently much more news worthy than people who lost their jobs and lively hoods
I think it would have been more than 8.2 million. Didn’t it burn up a sawmill in Barriere
I think it would have been more than 8.2 million. Didn’t it burn up a sawmill in Barriere
Tolko sawmill it was closing its doors anyway due to costs and timber supply but aside from that fact over a 1000 people were left unemployed for a year and the fact that the government basically threw boat loads of money at Kelowna and limited the funds going into Barriere.
I have zero sympathy for those who lost homes in Kelowna because most didn’t lose their jobs just homes whereas in Barriere area people lost not only homes but their jobs and livelyhoods as well.
Campbell made it a priority to have the trestles replaced on a walking trail outside Kelowna. Something like 3 million I believe. The Barrier sawmill asked for 1 million to make a rebuild viable they were refused. Votes over humanity.
Did the dude get out if jail yet?
Get use to an increase in type 1 forest fires… global warming / climate change is here folks!
People#1 that was funny.
What is type one? Toss a cigarette? Type 2 lightning?
Good point NoWay. Despite all of this, it’s still not uncommon to still see people tossing their lit cigarettes out of their cars.
Go back and read one of my first posts on the rising price of fuel. In it I stated that learning is a life long journey!
Why is it that you continue to ask questions, but cannot take the initiative to find the answers to your own questions yourselves?
Her let me get you started on the types of fires classification system used in BC:
http://bcwildfire.ca/prevention/PrescribedFire/Planning/
Once you have read that page click on the bottom link titled “complexity fire rating guide”.
If you cannot take the initiative to learn yourselves, how can you expect to increase your level of knowledge and your ability to engage in “informed” debate?
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