Even as embers the size of loonies fall around his home in Kelowna, B.C., ex-fire chief Glen Maddess feels confident about efforts to combat the wildfires raging on the edge of his community.
An expert in what went wrong during the disastrous wildfires that hit Kelowna six years ago, Mr. Maddess cautions that it is too early to see where any gaps in the firefighting effort may be. But the former Vancouver fire chief, now watching from the front row as wildfires once again threaten the community, said he sees a marked improvement in the response.
"I have a greater confidence than what I was feeling in 2003," he said in an interview yesterday. "There is a realization at all levels, especially the provincial level, of the need to hit these dangerous interface fires hard and fast. If they don't, they can be catastrophic."
Mr. Maddess, now a firefighting consultant, helped write the provincial review on British Columbia's worst summer of wildfires, which destroyed businesses, hundreds of homes and killed three firefighters.
The Filmon report - the review was headed by former Manitoba premier Gary Filmon - made a series of recommendations that the B.C. government promised to implement.
Solicitor-General Kash Heed says B.C. is "leap years ahead" of its response this time out. Others question whether the province has done enough.
Here's a brief progress report:
Reduce Risk The top recommendation was to reduce fuel buildup, especially in high fire risk areas known as the interface - where wild forests and urban areas meet. In this case fuel equals forest: Trees, wood debris and underbrush.
Progress
The province identified 1.7 million hectares of interface land, including 685,000 hectares that are deemed to be high risk. To date, 35,000 hectares have been cleaned up - roughly 5 per cent of the most dangerous areas where communities and forests meet. In the Kelowna region, with the highest risk ratings in the province, 830 hectares have been treated.
NDP forestry critic Norm Macdonald said that's simply inadequate. "You are going to have to spend the money one way or the other, either on prevention or on fighting fires. And if you wait for the fires, you are putting property and lives at risk."
Communications The Filmon report called for the creation of an Emergency Communications SWAT Team. "Operations at the very beginning of the fire season were marked with difficulties in getting organized dealing with the media, and in communicating with the public."
Progress
On Saturday, Orchard Park mall was broadcasting evacuation alerts and instructions as the communities of Glenrosa - Westbank came under threat.
Mr. Maddess said the communication through the media has been "extraordinary" this time around. Also improved, he noted, was communication and co-operation between agencies. But he said property owners still have some lessons to learn. "We need to work harder to get people to understand we cannot protect everything in the interface area. They need to fireproof their properties."
Resources Even while the fire was still burning in 2003, Kelowna residents were asking why two Mars water bombers, the biggest water tankers in the world, weren't brought in sooner from their base on Vancouver Island. The Filmon report recommended: "The Office of the Fire Commissioner should implement a searchable database to maintain a current and accurate province-wide inventory of private and public sector equipment available for fire response."
Progress
Today, Coulson's Martin Mars flying boats are contracted in California. But the Office of the Fire Commissioner surveys fire departments in British Columbia to maintain an inventory of equipment available from communities in the event of major fires. As of yesterday afternoon, firefighters were waging an air attack on the Kelowna fires using helicopters hauling buckets - the capacity is smaller but they are more precise. As well, the bucket brigade was there almost immediately, Mr. Heed noted. The Glenrosa-Westbank fire had 133 firefighters, nine helicopters and eight air tankers on the scene yesterday.
Evacuation The 2003 wildfires around Kelowna led to the largest-scale evacuations in B.C. history. "That it was achieved without serious injury or loss of life is a tribute to those who worked tirelessly to help evacuate people," the Filmon report noted. But it also found that public support wasn't always there. "The province should target greater resources at ensuring better awareness by the public about the stages of evacuation, including the procedures to be followed during an evacuation and after the lifting of an evacuation order, particularly in areas of high interface fire risk."
Progress
Kelowna Councillor Robert Hobson was one of the 45,000 people evacuated in 2003. Watching from the emergency control centre this weekend, he was impressed with the difference, both from the people in charge and from the evacuees. "This time people had virtually no time to prepare - this fire just popped up and people literally had to flee," he said. Yet the process was orderly. "It was easy for people to see they needed to get out."
Also improved, Mr. Maddess noted, was communication and co-operation between agencies. But he said property owners still have some lessons to learn.
"We need to work harder to get people to understand we cannot protect everything in the interface area. They need to fireproof their properties."
Resources Even while the fire was still burning in 2003, Kelowna residents were asking why two Mars water bombers, the biggest water tankers in the world, weren't brought in sooner from their base on Vancouver Island.
The Filmon report recommended: "The Office of the Fire Commissioner should implement a searchable database to maintain a current and accurate province-wide inventory of private and public sector equipment available for fire response."
Progress: Today, Coulson's Martin Mars flying boats are contracted in California. But the Office of the Fire Commissioner surveys fire departments in British Columbia to maintain an inventory of equipment available from communities in the event of major fires.
As of yesterday afternoon, firefighters were waging an air attack on the Kelowna fires using helicopters hauling buckets - the capacity is smaller but they are more precise. As well, the bucket brigade was there almost immediately, Mr. Heed noted.
The Glenrosa-Westbank fire had 133 firefighters, nine helicopters and eight air tankers on the scene yesterday.
Evacuation The 2003 wildfires around Kelowna led to the largest-scale evacuations in B.C. history. "That it was achieved without serious injury or loss of life is a tribute to those who worked tirelessly to help evacuate people," the Filmon report noted.
But it also found that public support wasn't always there.
"The province should target greater resources at ensuring better awareness by the public about the stages of evacuation, including the procedures to be followed during an evacuation and after the lifting of an evacuation order, particularly in areas of high interface fire risk."
Progress: Kelowna Councillor Robert Hobson was one of the 45,000 people evacuated in 2003.
Watching from the emergency control centre this weekend, he was impressed with the difference, both from the people in charge and from the evacuees.
"This time people had virtually no time to prepare - this fire just popped up and people literally had to flee," he said. Yet the process was orderly.
"It was easy for people to see they needed to get out."
******
More than 11,000, people have been forced from their homes in the threatened area.
POPULATION GROWTH
As the Central Okanangan continues to expand, itís also spreading farther into rural areas, making homes increasingly vulnerable to wildfires.
KELOWNA
Population
1996: 89,442
2006: 106,707
Private households
1996: 36,440
2006: 44,985
CENTRAL OKANAGAN
Population
1996: 141,628
2006: 162,276
FOREST FUEL COMPONENTS
Forests provide perfect fuel for fires when dry conditions persits.
RISKS
Existing surface fuel
Areas with standing dead trees or areas affected by mountain beetle infestations represent a fire risl.
Slash
Loggin companies thn the forests of smaller trees to help the overall health of the larger trees. Often, this material is left behind and serves as more fuel for fires.
Aerial fuels: Tree branches, moss, snags
Surface fuels: Low vegetation, large logs
Ground fuels: Leaves, grass, limbwood, duff
Mineral fuels: Roots, soil
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA, FIRESTORM 2003 PROVINCIAL REVIEW
******
Comparison of 2003 and 2009 blazes
Okanagan Mountain Park Fire (2003)
Started on: Aug. 16
Size: 25,912 hectares
Cause: Lightning strike north of Wild Horse Canyon in Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park
Location: 24 kilometres southwest of Kelowna
Number of people evacuated: 33,050 (4,050 evacuated twice)
Homes lost or damaged: 238
Number of firefighters: 700 at peak times
Other resources: 20 helicopters, 250 pieces of heavy equipment
Fully contained by: End of September
Cost: Approximately $33.8-million
Glenrosa-Westbank Kelowna and Rose Valley Dam, West Kelowna (2009)
Started on: July 18
Size: 400 hectares (Glenrosa); 150 hectares (Rose Valley)
Cause: Under investigation
Location: Glenrosa fire is located about 13 km north of 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire site
Number of people evacuated: 11,250
Homes lost or damaged: Three
Number of firefighters: 125
Other resources: Eight air tankers, 10 helicopters
Fully contained by: Continues burning
Cost: Still counting
Anupreet Sandhu Bhamra
Justine Hunter