Summer in the interior is unlike anything I've ever seen before. The smoke and fire in the area is devastating!
In the news around here, it's all about forest fires. Thousands of men and women fighting them, thousands more evacuated from their homes only saving what pieces of their lives they can fit in their car.
The summers in Victoria are gorgeous - far from the reality of forest fires. Watching the news every summer before I got here I never really understood the magnitude of these fires. Now, while working on the side of a mountain soil sampling away, I can actually SEE the massive plumes of smoke emitted from the fires ravaging the Chilcotin.
A few times the areas we are working in have been blocked off, so plans have had to change last minute to get around the little snafu. The line brushing crew has had their schedule completely changed around, as chainsaws and machinery are completely banned from forested areas. They start work at 4am and finish at 1pm, to avoid the heat and to avoid fire hazards. The IP crew has been sent home because as it turns out, running a live charge through wires in the forest is actually a fire hazard! Huh! Who knew??
In any case, a new part of our daily routine involves checking the BC Ministry of Forestry website for where the fires are and how big they are. Two areas on opposite sides of where we are have the biggest fires of the area. Big Creek is sandwiched between Alexis Creek and Meldrum Creek - areas where there are two exceptionally large forest fires.
To say it's slightly smokey is an understatement.
A picture says 1000 words, so here they are!
Also, the website to check out the fires and where they are is here:
http://webmaps.gov.bc.ca/imf5/imf.jsp?site=pub_fireinfo
That's what we're checking everyday, and that's what is currently dictating where we work and how long for. It's tough walking up those mountains when you're lungs are burning from the smoke and you can barely see through the forest.
Chris W. and I have a mutual friend who is fighting fires in the region right now, and he is one of many hard working men doing their best to save the region from total devastation. Go Dave!
Major props to the men and women fighting these suckers.. They're hot, they're smoky, and oh boy do they move fast!
Remember, only YOU can prevent forest fires!
(gotta love Smokey the Bear!)
Hope everyone is having a lovely end of summer - I am officially out of camp August 27th so less than 3 weeks to go! Yikes! Where did the summer go!??!
