3,600 ordered from homes in central B.C. as wildfire spreads

Ash from the fires buring in the area has begun to settle on anything outside. The skies are full of smoke obscuring the mountains and a smell of burning hangs in the air.

Ash from the fires buring in the area has begun to settle on anything outside. The skies are full of smoke obscuring the mountains and a smell of burning hangs in the air.

Have you been notified yet to be ready to go Mowich?

Mowich I would pack a to go bag if I were you. Just in case

No, Strutz......we here in Eagle Creek are about 50K away from the fire right now and as it appears to be burning in a more or less Northerly direction it should stay well away from our area - thank heavens. Our only worries right now are possible lightning strikes igniting a fire out here.

Since the 2003 fire season, my neighbors and I routinely prepare for an emergency evac in especially dry years. We have all the necessary important paperwork packed and ready to go along with pet supplies, a few keepsakes and clothing. I'm hoping that we will be spared as I am looking after two dogs for friends of mine who had to be evacuated from the 108 and no telling when they might be allowed back in their homes - or if their homes are still standing. Along with those two, I have a dog of my own and a cat. But if it comes to that, we'll make out okay.

Glad to hear. Hopefully you will get lots of rain, no wind or lightning very soon. And that your friends have places to go back too.


It always surprises me watching the news and listening to people saying "we lost all our pictures" when they had been watching the fire or water coming for days. Not many people have all the old pictures scanned. An other thing to add to my to do list.

HAd a house fire 3 weeks after I moved up north. Next door neighbour ran in with me and carried out the coffee table with all the family albums in it. I can only imagine trying to hunt down tiny SD cards in a burning house!

Since the 2003 fire season, my neighbors and I routinely prepare for an emergency evac in especially dry years. We have all the necessary important paperwork packed and ready to go along with pet supplies, a few keepsakes and clothing. I'm hoping that we will be spared as I am looking after two dogs for friends of mine who had to be evacuated from the 108 and no telling when they might be allowed back in their homes - or if their homes are still standing. Along with those two, I have a dog of my own and a cat. But if it comes to that, we'll make out okay.
Good to know you are prepared. I certainly hope you do not have to evacuate. All the best to you and your friends.

Goddam nuts!
THe panic about fires hit the absurd today. A fire started just north of Vanderhoof. Whole bloody town was running around, massive lineups at all gas stations, rush at the grocery store.... people telling each other it was 'already at the beach on the other side of the lake'... small town bullshit.
Had people over who just moved here a couple months ago, they were actually in panic and kept asking if they really should be worried.

Thank you for your kind words and wishes, they are balm to a worried soul.

This morning due to the heavy covering of smoke in the skies, it was blessedly cool here. There was a bit of a breeze and more ash had fallen overnight. By the afternoon it was considerably warmer and the haze was not as thick. A thunder storm had been forecast for the region and sure enough huge clouds started building accompanied by gusty winds. Not an hour later I heard that the fire had jumped HWY 97 at 103 Mile effectively cutting off all traffic headed north.

Meanwhile, the skies cleared here except for the huge thunderheads and the sun came out for around half an hour. And just as soon as it came it disappeared and the air was filled with the stench of burning, the skies were once again a thick pall of smoke. No thunder and thank you Universe, no lightning. But the smoke is a lot thicker now and there is a lot more ash falling.

Just as I was getting ready for bed, the phone rang. It was my friend in 100 Mile telling me that they had been ordered to evacuate immediately and would call when they could tomorrow. They are facing what in light traffic would be a 3 hour and 45 minute trip north to Prince George - the nearest evacuation center - in wall-to-wall traffic.

Now I am hearing that our only access to HWY 97 is closed and they are evacuating some homes on Canim Lake HWY but no word on how far up the order extends. Canim/Hendrix road extends all the way from the junction of HWY 97 to the end of the road I live on and then it turns into the 6000 Road.

It's going to be a long night.

It is 11:37 and we have just been put on evacuation alert.

Be safe

Since the 2003 fire season, my neighbors and I routinely prepare for an emergency evac in especially dry years. We have all the necessary important paperwork packed and ready to go along with pet supplies, a few keepsakes and clothing. I'm hoping that we will be spared as I am looking after two dogs for friends of mine who had to be evacuated from the 108 and no telling when they might be allowed back in their homes - or if their homes are still standing. Along with those two, I have a dog of my own and a cat. But if it comes to that, we'll make out okay.

Just a suggestion - keep a copy of the backup of your computer there too. Just the data, photos etc. that you don't want to lose.

When I was out of commission after surgery a few months back, I made scans of all the old photo albums I had and put that on a USB external HDD, and put that in my 'bug bag' as well. Food - clothing - money - ID - copy of data = bug bag.