UPDATED: British Columbia hit hard by wildfires
Thousands have been evacuated—and multiple blazes still not under control
Les Rein (left) and Wille McHendry watch the Terrace Mountain fire advance early Sunday morning, Aug. 2,2009. “It is pretty eerie to watch,” remarked Rein, who was evacuated from his home near Fintry. “I’m just praying the wind is blowing the right way.” Officials ordered about 2,500 people to leave their homes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Daniel Hayduk
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UPDATE:
There are now many more fires blazing across the province, as lightning strikes hit more areas. Fire crews (bolstered by workers from outside of the province) are overwhelmed and more communities are being evacuated. According to Premier Gordon Campbell its the most critical situation they’ve experienced in recent memory.
(Sunday Aug. 2, 2009) Some 2,800 people had to be re-evacuated from their homes after the Terrace Mountain forest fire in Kelowna, B.C., burned through another 2,500 hectares overnight Saturday and Sunday morning. Winds blowing in the 20 kilometre-per-hour range helped spread the blaze, which now covers 7,200 hectares. The evacuated residents had just been allowed back home on Thursday after being foreced to flee the same fire earlier this week. So far, the fire has burned for two weeks and is considered only 30 per cent contained. Temperatures are expected to reach the high-30s on Sunday, amplifying fears the fire could spread downhill.