www.100milefreepress.

net 100 Mile House Free Press Thursday, October 14, 2021 A15

FIREFIGHT 2021
COMMUNITY APPRECIATION
Interlakes firefighters kept busy fielding calls
Kelly Sinoski lightning strikes on fire halls before it got under control. But by with food and gas for
100 Mile Free Press June 30 - to a blaze dark to set up a pool that time, the Deka their trucks, as well as
south of the Inter- system, pumping Lake fire was raging - Canco, which supplied
lakes rodeo grounds. about 3,000 gallons and the Interlakes crew them with water and

T
he Interlakes
Volunteer Fire
Department
had a busy summer -
not only responding
to fires but answering
calls from the public
about smoke, fire and
lightning strikes.
The 45-member
department, which
operates out of three
halls, was called out to
its first fire in late June
- three days before the
The fire was about 700 of water on the fire. set off to help. discounted sandwiches
metres in the bush. They then continued “We had a lot of fires and meat.
“We got a call and to attack the fire for going on, it was crazy,” “I don’t think there
forestry couldn’t re- the next two days until Schley said. was anything we could
spond so we went to the BC Wildfire Ser- The Interlakes crew do to be more pre-
investigate,” Deputy vice showed up with spelled each other off pared.”
Fire Chief Todd Schley two helicopters and in seven-hour shifts The fire department,
said. “It was close to they got authorization over the next four which mostly responds
eight o’clock at night from a local resident to to five days, offering to medical calls and
so we took a side-by- build a road to get to ground and structure motor vehicle inci-
side to investigate and the north side of the protection and water. dents, is now getting
Interlakes Volunteer Fire Department Chief Eric de Vries reminds residents to regularly
realized it was a wild- fire, which was heading “It was pretty lone- organized for the year
test their smoke alarms and also suggests storing firewood a proper distance from
fire.” in thick timber. ly, there was nobody ahead, including find-
any ignition source. (Photo submitted).
Crews were dis- It didn’t take long around. It was like ing a new chief next
patched from all three then to get the fire an apocalypse. You could see the fire and of calls from residents, tanks out,” he said. spring. The depart-
the flames in the dis- many of them about He credited the ment is currently being
tance but there were no propane fire pits, Cariboo Regional managed by the deputy

South Green Lake ‘well protected’ people around,” Schley

Kelly Sinoski
100 Mile Free Press
said.
The Deka Lake res-
which were allowed.
Schley said the fire-
fighters checked out
District, BC Wildfire
Service and the public
for providing timely
chiefs at the three halls.
The Interlakes de-
partment currently has
of water from Green at the same time. That they don’t do anything idents returned home every call. information about three fire engines, three
Lake to 83 Mile to help heat dome we had about it,” he said. in eight days but the “We were getting the wildfires through- tenders and one res-
suppress the wildfire. made things difficult, Graham said the de- job wasn’t over for pretty tired going out the fire season. cue truck but expects

T
he South Green
Lake Volunteer
Fire Depart-
ment was on evacu-
ation alert for much
of the summer, but
didn’t have a major
role to play in fighting
the fires.
New chief Roger
Graham said the
28-member depart-
ment was “pretty fortu-
nate” as the Flat Lake
fire was on the other
side of the road and
the biggest problem
was the smoke.
However, the mem-
bers did help the Watch
He said he felt the there’s no catching up partment also hopes to the Interlakes team. around two to three He also thanked the to start fundraising
firefighting effort after that.” get a new, bigger water Throughout the sum- times a day checking firefighters’ partners for more equipment,
worked well. While Graham said the de- tender that will carry mer, they fielded lots these propane fire who provided them Schley said.
some of South Green partment, funded by up to 2,500 gallons of
Lake was on evacua- the Thompson Nicola water next year, and
tion alert, he said the Regional District, is is also continuing to
community was “pretty continuing its ongoing install dry hydrants
well protected” because training with the Struc- as part of a five-year
much of the area had ture firefighter compe- project. They current-
been burned years ago tency and training play- ly have eight hydrants,
and there are a lot of book, and will be doing which have improved
lakes and marshes in more fuel management the department’s turn-
the area. work with BC Wildfire around time in boost-
“It depends on the Service on South Green ing the water supply.
wind. You get a wind- Lake Road. Graham noted they
storm and it carries Residents are also can fill a tender in
those embers a long starting to take heed about 10 minutes com-
way,” he said. “Unfor- of the department’s pared with pumping it
tunately it was just one Fire Smart program straight from the lake.
of those bizarre sum- and cleaning up their “If we didn’t suck up

U
Lake-North Green mers, with the dry heat yards, following the any rocks or sand, it

YO
Lake Volunteer Fire spell we had and the recent wildfires. “You took about 15 min-

ANK
Department shuttle lightning after that. A think about it but until utes,” he said of the

TH
about 23,000 gallons lot of those fires started it actually happens old method.

Thank you to all our Volunteer Fire of-town

o u r lo cal and out- South
Departments, South Cariboo Search and , we th a n k ices,
th e b o tt o m of our hearts mergency Support Serv protecting
Rescue, Emergency Support Services Volunteers From dfire, E ts for
ents, BC Wil l governmen fe.
fire departm h and Rescue and loca s and for keeping us sa
and visiting fire departments for your courage Cariboo Sea
rc
our commun
itie
and dedication during the 2021 Wildfire season!
100 MILE REALTY
Lorne
Doerkson
MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin
Telephone

250-609-2657 250-395-3424
Telephone

250-593-0326
Telephone

1-800-663-8426 1-800-663-8426 1-844-593-0326

Office hours: Monday to Friday 9am-3pm 4945 Easzee Drive, 108 Mile Ranch 96 Cariboo Hwy. 97,100 Mile House 7120 Levick Crescent,
#7 - 530 Horse Lake Road, Uptown Plaza,100 Mile House (in the 108 Mall) (between Tim Hortons and the Red Coach Inn)
Interlakes Service Centre
Phone 250-395-3916 • email: lorne.doerkson.mla@leg.bc.ca Y O U R H O M E T O W N R E A L E S TAT E T E A M