A truck with failed brakes last week set off a fire that spread up the side of Anarchist Mountain.
Thankfully the driver, who was hauling a load of lumber, managed to use the runaway lane and escaped from the truck before it erupted in flames.
The driver was extremely fortunate that he managed to escape with not much more than a few bruises as his truck caught fire within seconds after he crashed at the top of the runaway lane.
The disaster could have been much worse. To a certain extent luck was at play, but the valiant efforts of firefighters, police and ambulance personnel kept the situation under control.
It was extremely lucky that Sgt. Kevin Schur, the commander of the Osoyoos RCMP detachment, just happened to have been following the truck down Anarchist Mountain when its brakes caught fire.
But Schur was also quick thinking and managed to alert other emergency services even before the truck hit the runaway lane.
It was lucky the truck was carrying lumber rather than something more volatile like fuel or – heaven forbid – hazardous goods.
When firefighters responded, they prepared for the worst and brought full bunker gear with breathing apparatus.
This meant they had to carry substantial weights when they chased the fire up the rough terrain of the mountain.
But firefighters were quick to respond and they fought long and hard in the baking sun next to the heat of the flames – all the time wearing heavy gear.
It is most commendable that virtually every firefighter in the area came out.
There were full crews from Osoyoos and Anarchist Mountain fire departments and some retired firefighters also came out to help.
Some firefighters from Oliver also came out to help while others were on standby to offer backup assistance.
The provincial forestry department also sent in planes and crews, who worked to control the hot spots over the couple days it took to put the fire completely out.
The Anarchist Mountain firefighters quickly took the necessary steps to protect the homes up the mountain, including evacuating residents from about 20 homes. Members of that community also helped out in the effort and provided resources.
Larger cities rely on full-time paid firefighters, but in smaller communities like Osoyoos the firefighters are all volunteers.
They have regular jobs that they must sometimes leave abruptly when there is a serious fire emergency.
It is to the credit of their employers and businesses that these men and women can leave the workplace when necessary for the greater good of the community.
Being a volunteer firefighter also involves a substantial time commitment as crews engage in training and other activities even when they aren’t fighting fires.
Last week’s accident and fire could have been much worse, but good luck and hard work were both on our side.
This is a reminder of the great work our firefighters and other emergency personnel perform to keep our community safe.
Everyone involved in battling this blaze did a terrific job and should be proud.
Thank you for a job well done.
