My Backyard's Burning !

“It just keeps getting worse !
Now more than 850 fires burning in southern B.C. The statistics coming out of this are amazing.
Fire threatening the Okanagan city of Kelowna has spread 90 square kilometres in 24 hours !

We've been under a state of emergency since Ausust 2nd, with thousands evacuated from their homes. Fires have consumed 140 thousand hectares (12 times the size of the city of Vancouver)

The photos have been unbelievable !!

Full News Coverage”

“OMG i am so sorry to hear that”

“Some incredible photos !!

Link”

“wow...that is scarey & sad....be safe...”

“Wow! Those photos are amazing. They remind me of the Yellowstone fires of 1988 only on a much larger scale! We really dodged a bullet with the backcountry restrictions, Hodge!”

“Ya Aero, it looks like they're about to completely close the forests and parks, if things don't start to improve soon.”

“It was bad a couple of weeks ago when we were up that way, which is why we didn't go any further north than Vancouver.

By the way, Hodge, That's a beautiful city you live in!”

“The worst could be coming. In '88 the fires they were fighting in August went totally out of control in September and it wasn't until about the end of the month that the snows finally came. We're not getting any rains, just afternoon thunderstorms; dry with lightning!”

“yikes! do you think you'll have to evacuate, Hodgeman?”

“Very sad. Praying for rain...”

“Apparently, Sacramento is getting all y'all's rain...”

“Intense photograghs, Hodge. Hoping the heavens open up for you folks...”

“I'll send you my weather!”

“Well, it's totally wierd to be praying for rain in BC, but we are. Normally there would be a distinct change in the weather by mid-August, and although it's cooler there hasn't been a drop of rain in a month. I don't think we've had more than a couple of hours worth since the end of May !”

“OMG, let's all pray that this will be over with soon.
I hope you're safe!”

“I hope all is good with you dude and I hope it will all end soon so life can get back to normal for you.


Be safe!

8)”

“Wow, those photos remind me of Fl. in '98, but with hills. It was scary then, with ash falling like snow over our house and where I worked then. I'd come outside and have to brush off the car.”

“Hope the rain comes soon. Take care and be safe!”

“30,000 now evacuated from Kelowna. Yesyerday the Okanagan fire was jumping fire breaks and rolling along at 100 metres per minute

”

“This neighbourhood gone this morning Across Okanagan Lake”

“Damn.”

“Be safe.

Houses can always be rebuilt.

Do you have your "out" planned?

Get pictures, important papers, important medications, and a suitcase full of cloths and toiletries ready just in case. Don't forget supplies for your pets if you have any.

I guess all you can do is sit back and hope for the best.

I feel for you - my family and I lost most of our home in '92 from Hurricane Andrew.

Sending good thoughts your way.”

“of Kelowna, BC on fire:

Canada on fire

What a nightmare.”

“Hope things calm down soon, Hodgeman. I've been reading about the fires at work. Crazy stuff.”

“OMG that is awful”

“be safe Hodge”

“Thanks for the link, sierrapacktrip. We have a lot of family and friends in Kelowna, and we've been watching that area closely.”

“I want to post a joke like go pee on it or something, but this is incredable. Whats the deal? We have had so many forrest fires in recent history...why?”

“I saw on tube that town lost 300
homes so far. Indescribable. Where
all those people gonna find a place
before winter sets in?”

“sorry to see this.


of course you realize we'll have to impeach bush over this...”

“Elfskin2,

Have no worries...For every down turn for one man is an up for another. Some one will build homes and overcharge on them.”

“In fact, there are a few major investors that hope for bad times, cause thats when their money is made.”

“it's bushes fault, i'm tellin ya...”

“I think the people of British Columbia will set a good example of
pulling together.Americans are great at fund raising.”

“Yes Strat, the only reason the US hasn't put out the fires is because of Bush's campain contributions from contracters and lumber companies that will raise there prices due to less wood in the world now. This makes perfict sence, anything else would just be nonelogical.”

“Those pics remind me of the 1998 Florida fires:



Saying prayers for you guys.”

“exactly tea....bush even hates canadian trees....

BURN HIM AT THE STAKE!


JIHAD BUSH!”

“Speaking of the fires, here's a sad story...8 Fierfighters killed

My prayers are with their families.”

“That is so sad!


8(”

“Our hearts are with you all out there, along with our firefighters that are on the scene and our water bombers. Good luck and keep safe.”

“Well, they finally did it.... All 'crown land' forests and Provincial Parks in the southern half of BC are now completely closed for backcountry travel. Vilolation punishable by fine up to $10,000 or six months in jail

News release”

“Time to come on down to Cali. We'll put you up when you aren't in the back country, hodge!”

“Very tempting for sure !! Fortunately the trip I just booked for mid-September is on Federal NP land in Alberta and not included in the closure. I had been considering Mt Robson Provincial Park on the BC side (where the Snows just were) and would have likely been cancelled or at least cutting it real close for timing”

“Well have fun, then!”

“Hodge, perhaps you should leave the bear banger home and take the fire-extinguisher along.

Be careful out there.”

“Just when we appeared to be getting a bit of control on the fire situation

'History up in Smoke' as the Kettle Valley burns”

“Ugh! Sorry to hear about that, Hodge. My "foamer" friends will be in mourning. All that news over the past month about homes, etc. being burned up is a grim reminder of the Oakland hills fires several years back that destroyed over 3,000 homes.”

“Yup, pretty sad indeed.

The good news is, that there's a change in the weather coming, for the coast at least. The clouds are rolling in.

The bad news is, that there's wind on the leading edge, and the rain probably won't make it to the interior of the province, where the serious fires are.

We had a brief cloud burst here near Vancouver, this afternoon, and people out front of the grocery store were actually cheering !! I've never seen that before”

“Cheering?! Wow, it's worse than I thought....”

“Hey Hodge! What's the latest? I hunted around for some news, but didn't find anything, so I thought I might as well go to the guy who knows everything first. Gettin' any rain up there? Fires still burning?”