Penticton Fire Chief Larry Watkinson has confirmed that two houses were affected by a fire that lit up a gully in West Bench, with one receiving more significant damage to the roof after an ember landed on it.
91裸聊视频淥ne of the embers, I guess hot embers, landed on the roof, and it caught fire, and with the dryness that we91裸聊视频檝e had, obviously it took off pretty good,91裸聊视频� said Don Lancaster, owner of the home that was hit harder by the fire. 91裸聊视频淔ire department got on it really quick, but it91裸聊视频檚 the damage now that they have to tear the roof apart to get underneath and make sure nothing91裸聊视频檚 gotten into the attic.91裸聊视频�
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Lancaster, who said he wasn91裸聊视频檛 initially home during the fire, added that there has also been significant water damage to the home from firefighters dousing the fire, which he said reached around a foot in height.
91裸聊视频淚t hasn91裸聊视频檛 really been (a worry), although with the dryness and of course all the fires in B.C., you do sort of take a second look around your own neighbourhood,91裸聊视频� Lancaster said. 91裸聊视频淲e realized that those trees that went up and the ones down in front of our houses are all on First Nations land, and we have, through permission from them, there have been a few trees that we91裸聊视频檝e taken out over the last month or so.
91裸聊视频淏ut maybe more, now.91裸聊视频�
He added that he91裸聊视频檒l likely be taking a closer look at keeping his property clear of dry materials.
91裸聊视频淲e do that anyways. Especially, like I say, you see what91裸聊视频檚 going on in B.C. and how dry it is, you try to minimize the problem if it does happen,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淔ortunately, they seem to be pretty well on it.91裸聊视频�
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The Penticton Fire Department got the call at around 9:15 a.m., and Naramata and Summerland fire departments to fight the fire, with the B.C. Wildfire Service also on the blaze with an initial attack team and helicopter support.
Watkinson said the other house that was affected was the next door house, though it appears there hasn91裸聊视频檛 been significant damage to that house.
Watkinson described an 91裸聊视频渆xtraordinary91裸聊视频� scene at the fire, which came within feet of homes on Westwood Drive.
91裸聊视频淵ou could imagine a completely dried pine tree that91裸聊视频檚 150 feet tall, fully involved in fire with wind driven from the north, spreading from tree-to-tree. It91裸聊视频檚 extraordinary to see, and intimidating to see nonetheless, with homes being licked by the flames of those trees.91裸聊视频�
Around 40 homes are under a tactical evacuation, according to Watkinson, though the evacuation order only affects Westood Drive at this point.
Firefighters had the blaze effectively under control at 100-per-cent containment, with hopes of sending residents back to their homes within a few hours.
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Currently, crews are largely focused on putting out hot spots in the fire, estimated at a hectare in size.
It91裸聊视频檚 not clear if and when those whose roofs have been affected by the fires will be able to return to their homes.
91裸聊视频淥ne of them, for sure, they got quite a bit of damage. But better losing their roof to their house,91裸聊视频� Watkinson said. 91裸聊视频淐edar shakes, right, they91裸聊视频檙e perfect storm for having an ember transplant. With the wind, it picks up, it gets up in the eaves there, it gets underneath the cedar shakes.91裸聊视频�
Only homes with cedar shingles on the roof were affected by the fire, Watkinson said.
The fire appears to have started near the base of a dry, large pine tree, according to Watkinson, who said there had been some fallen trees nearby that fuelled the fire.
91裸聊视频淵ou could imagine 150-foot-long pine trees dried out, lying side by side, wind driven fire. It was a massive blaze for a while,91裸聊视频� Watkinson said.
91裸聊视频淭he City of Penticton is a FireSmart community, however not everybody participates in that model. Having three large pine trees that are dead on the front of your property on the hillside in wildfire season certainly is not what I would consider FireSmart,91裸聊视频� he added, referring to the Union of B.C. Municipalities program to mitigate wildfires91裸聊视频� effects on interface homes.
91裸聊视频淚t is an extreme fire behaviour when you have that kind of debris lying at the base of your home.91裸聊视频�
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway from local fire inspectors, as well as RCMP and provincial inspectors.
Submit your photos, videos and news tips by clicking on the 91裸聊视频楥ontact91裸聊视频� tab at the top of the page.
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