Residents are praising the structural protection units for doing an outstanding job protecting homes during the recent evacuation orders. Photo by Lyonel Doherty
The Testalinden Creek fire just doesn’t know when to quit.
But rain and cooler temperatures last weekend and on Monday/Tuesday certainly helped forestry crews tame the beast enough to let evacuees back in their homes.
John Echlin is one of many property owners in the Fairview area glad that life is back to normal.
“We were on notice, but we never left,” the homeowner said.
Echlin lives on Old Golf Course Road where officials informed him of the evacuation order on Friday, Aug. 28.
Due to the northward movement of the fire, the order involved 27 properties along Fairview Road, Willowbrook Road and Old Golf Course Road.
Later on, the recreational areas around Burnell (Sawmill) Lake, Ripley Lake and Madden Lake were included in the evacuation order.
Echlin packed up some stuff and was prepared to leave, but didn’t.
“The forest service guys did a wonderful job with triage, sprinklers on the roof and hoses.”
Echlin said he didn’t see fire, noting the flames didn’t even get within a mile of his property.
But he acknowledged that the situation could have changed in a short period of time due to flying embers.
The emergency support service centre in Oliver assisted 44 evacuees last Friday and Saturday.
The total number of properties or homes remaining under evacuation alert has been reduced from 285 to 180 homes. This reduction is due to the fire moving north away from homes.
Fire information officer Heather Rice said Monday they are definitely seeing less volatile fire behaviour due to the cooler temperatures.
“The fire activity is fairly low in intensity. We’re seeing smoke but no aggressive fire behaviour,” said she.
The fire is holding at 4,300 hectares with 60 per cent containment.
“The fire has not moved significantly in any direction,” Rice said, but she noted that forecasted winds will likely increase activity.
More than 200 firefighters are still on the scene with the help of four helicopters and 13 pieces of heavy equipment. At this point, ground crews are enhancing containment lines, Rice said.
The information officer is reminding the public that the area of the fire remains off limits from Fairview Road south to Highway 3.
Rice said people are still trying to access this area by ATVs and motorbikes, which is not only illegal but hazardous because firefighters could be falling trees in the area.
By Lyonel Doherty
