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Posted by =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Se=F1ior_Popcor on August 27, 2009, 12:27 am
> > > wrote:
ote:
rote:
wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Jul 26, 6:38 am, "creative1...@gmail.com" <creative1..=
.@gmail.com>
> > > > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > Last Thur @ 1pm Ken emailed me that they were being for=
cibly evacuated
> > > > > > > > > > from their home because of forest fires in the area.
> > > > > > > > > > We had been emailing back and forth for several days pr=
ior about it.
> > > > > > > > > > I came from an area that has tremendous propensity for =
forest fires
> > > > > > > > > > for about half of the year so I gave him some ideas to =
think about.
> > > > > > > > > > He didn't want to leave but knew he better do as he was=
told.
> > > > > > > > > > I haven't heard from him since Thur.
> > > > > > > > > > I imagine he'll let me know something as soon as he's a=
ble.
> > > > > > > > > Hello CreATIVE oNEand all.
> > > > > > > > > We rented a lap-top, and the keyboard is different.
> > > > > > > > > We are now at a Hotel in Vernon BC, allow a bit of backgr=
ound.
> > > > > > > > > Terrace Mt BC caught fire.
> > > > > > > > > Wed july 23 : put on wildfire evACTION alert , made lists=
, packed
> > > > > > > > > gear.
> > > > > > > > > Thurs 24: Cops pull in to driveway noonish, strongly reco=
mmend we
> > > > > > > > > leave,
> > > > > > > > > it's an evac order,a party of vehicles begins forming on =
the road in
> > > > > > > > > front of
> > > > > > > > > our house as it is the last house before the exit as neig=
hbours chat.
> > > > > > > > > We're last to leave the sub division, cops for 3rd time r=
ead or
> > > > > > > > > rights, "stay
> > > > > > > > > if you want, at your own risk", wife orders me to evacuat=
e.
> > > > > > > > > With wishful thinking we parked just outside the evacuati=
on zone and
> > > > > > > > > camped in our van, with a rain falling all night and the =
evac center
> > > > > > > > > was
> > > > > > > > > overwhelmed. Nope the evacuation order remained so off we=
go Fri 24
> > > > > > > > > to register, hoping to get a place to park somewhere.
> > > > > > > > > To our surprise they booked us into a 5 star Hotel suite,=
and provided
> > > > > > > > > meals of our choice from Denny's...good stuff.
> > > > > > > > > Being the archy type, I carry a tape measure and we found=
the area of
> > > > > > > > > our suite to be 467 sq.ft., (although our current home (g=
uest house)
> > > > > > > > > is a
> > > > > > > > > 400 sq.fter), 6th floor overlookin the city, we were on h=
old pattern.
> > > > > > > > > This is Tues 28, and the expectation is we will remain he=
re until Fri,
> > > > > > > > > and perhaps longer, we think the BC gov has treated us fa=
irly, and the
> > > > > > > > > volunteer force has been overwhelmingly sympathetic to th=
e needs of
> > > > > > > > > the evacuees.
> > > > > > > > > Speakin with the many typical of the thousands that have =
been evac'd
> > > > > > > > > most worry more about the guys fighting that fire than th=
ey do their
> > > > > > > > > own
> > > > > > > > > homes.
> > > > > > > > > The weather is a problem, near 100 F, dry, breezy, maybe =
windy.
> > > > > > > > > Wife and I will conduct a naked rain dance today...
> > > > > > > > > Ken
> > > > > > > > We were permitted to return home today (thurs 30) at 8am, w=
e were
> > > > > > > > 1st in line at the checkpoint. All's well except I think we=
cooked our
> > > > > > > > hard-drive in the van as it was stored too hot !?!, I'm on =
a backup.
> > > > > > > > Currently, we're on ~1 hr evac alert, it's fairly smoky now=
, since the
> > > > > > > > wind changed blowing from the west toward us.
> > > > > > > > This AM a pair of choppers landed in the front yard for a m=
eeting,
> > > > > > > > and choppers have been hauling water past us to the fire al=
l day.
> > > > > > > > - I wonder if dry ice pellets might be an effective fire re=
tardant?
> > > > > > > > Ken
> > > > > > > Today (fri 31), the crew is mixing up a napalm mixture in the=
front
> > > > > > > yard. They first had a water truck spray the area, for dust
> > > > > > > suppresion,
> > > > > > > and I suppose to kill any chance of the chopper spitting out =
some
> > > > > > > flammable gunk that could start a fire, chopper lands.
> > > > > > > The procedure sounds somewhat dangerous, a Red Tank containin=
g
> > > > > > > the napalm mixture is in the =A0process of being attached to =
the now
> > > > > > > hovering =A0chopper by the ground crew, it has just flown awa=
y
> > > > > > > suspended
> > > > > > > by =A0a pair of cables, the Red Tank has an ignition torch on=
the tank
> > > > > > > to
> > > > > > > ignite the napalm as it is expelled, a second chopper is/was =
buzzing
> > > > > > > for spotting/supervision.
> > > > > > > That operation is known as 'back-burning', which is to contai=
n the
> > > > > > > wildfire by destroying the fuel it can use. They have another=
2 drums,
> > > > > > > to pour out, the situation is fluid.
> > > > > > > From the standpoint of Close Air Support, the choppers and wa=
ter-
> > > > > > > bombers are using a skill set the military would envy, indeed=
the
> > > > > > > military ought to give their pilots some real experience by f=
lying
> > > > > > > those into wildfire. The enviroment is fairly hostile, betwee=
n smoke,
> > > > > > > and weird winds, heat, it's a serious challenge to get the or=
dinance
> > > > > > > on target.
> > > > > > > Our fingers are crossed now, but I nearly envy the pilot for =
rush he's
> > > > > > > getting pouring ignited napalm on a target ... wow.
> > > > > > > Ken
> > > > > > Aug.1, 0n the 5:30 pm news is a report that we are being ordere=
d to
> > > > > > evacuate (FUCK), see
> > > > >http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/city_e.html?bc-27&unit=3Di
> > > > > > We're monitoring the winds smoke and odor, and I guess the weat=
her
> > > > > > is turned the winds into our direction.
> > > > > > Ken
> > > > > We decided to stay (ignore evac order), though we think the order=
was
> > > > > well founded, we're packed for 2 minute alert, ie. runaway, the w=
ind
> > > > > was a
> > > > > gusty breeze blowing the fire north our way, and it was ominous, =
but
> > > > > then
> > > > > the wind changed direction to south and the south was ordered eva=
c'd.
> > > > > Here's some pix,http://images.google.com/images?gbv=3D2&hl=3Den&s=
a=3D1&q=3D%22Terrace+mountai...
> > > > > Last evening into dusk the choppers we're flying over the house
> > > > > carrying buckets,
> > > > > here's the guys,http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/bc/1809529.bin?s=
ize=3DI
> > > > > Today, Aug2, we have a light steady favorable (for us) breeze.
> > > > > Ken
> > > > Hey, I see your crib in this one!http://www.kelowna.com/wp-content/=
uploads/2009/07/fire-map-550x342.jpg
> > > Yeah, do you see a pair of nudists waving to you :-).
> > > Thurs Aug.6: Our neighbourhood (Valley of the Sun), is still under th=
e
> > > Sat evac
> > > order. The heli crews have been bucketing water past us since then an=
d
> > > are
> > > busy again today. Wife's tending the neighbours menagerie, he can't
> > > get
> > > back home once evac'd, so he'll rest easier knowing things are ok.
> > > A fella in Toronto emailed us to advise the haze over the moon is the
> > > worst
> > > since Mt. St. Helens blew, attributed to the Terrace Mt. fire.
> > > Maybe Indiana Don might see a hazy near full moon tonight while out
> > > howling.
> > > A firm breeze continues to blow the fire away from us, so our naked
> > > wind
> > > dance has been successful so far.
> > > The fire crews are rightly regarded as heroes for facing down this
> > > monster.
> > > Ken
> > Amazing good news: Fri 14, as if God himself have done it, a storm
> > system comes into our valley (Okanagan) stalls right over us and the
> > fire and poured over 2" of rain on it all day. At our house we
> > measured
> > ~3" of rain, smashing all time records and bare in mind the average
> > annual rainfall is ~10", most rain we've ever seen here.
> > Speakin' of bare, the naked rain dance we did worked, or it's a good
> > excuse to get nude and frolick in the sun.
> > The fire is practically out, and all alerts and evac orders cancelled.
> > Ken
> Today: Monday Aug 24, we have a pro lumber jack removing trees from
> our sideyard. Worked out well, the neighbour highered him and he uses
> the wood for winter fuel, and we remove a mutual hazard of Wildfire.
> As much as we like trees...we bite the bullet and remove those, unless
> they provide shade benefit or are really spectacular.
> After we're done I can use the sideyard as a golf course.
> Ken
I think it would be fun to play golf in the nude.
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