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White Rock, Surrey firefighters deploy to West Kelowna 㽶Ƶֱwar zone㽶Ƶֱ

Province asked Thursday for any help the cities could offer
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Four firefighters from Port Moody are deployed to the Okanagan to assist with wildifre. (Port Moody L2339 photo)

Local fire crews answering the province㽶Ƶֱs call to help in West Kelowna say it is like 㽶Ƶֱa war zone㽶Ƶֱ in the devastated Okanagan community.

White Rock fire Chief Ed Wolfe said the description was shared during one of the daily updates he㽶Ƶֱs received from the three-man crew that left the seaside city early Friday (Aug. 18) to lend their skills.

㽶ƵֱThey㽶Ƶֱve been working suppression, structure protection the entire time there so far,㽶Ƶֱ Wolfe said Monday of Capt. Doug Smith and firefighters Paul Farrant and Scott Pearson.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs a pretty volatile situation, dynamic. It㽶Ƶֱs been fluid since they㽶Ƶֱve been there.㽶Ƶֱ

The crew is among hundreds of firefighters from across the province that have deployed to the McDougall Creek wildfire, which has grown to more than 11,000 hectares in size and posed an unprecedented challenge over the past weekend in particular.

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In a news conference Monday morning, West Kelowna fire Chief Jason Brolund said at least 50 structures have been confirmed either partially or entirely lost, however, assessment of the most damaged neighbourhoods has yet to come.

He said crews from 㽶Ƶֱdozens and dozens and dozens㽶Ƶֱ of fire departments have been pitching in.

When White Rock and Surrey crews got the call to help on Thursday night, it did not come as a surprise.

㽶ƵֱWe deployed on Friday morning at 0600,㽶Ƶֱ Wolfe said.

㽶ƵֱWe expected to get the call㽶Ƶֱ so we were pretty much ready to go. We had a truck pretty much packed up and just waiting for the call, and sure enough, it came.㽶Ƶֱ

An exchange crew from the city is lined up to deploy on Wednesday (Aug. 23).

All three of the White Rock firefighters currently in West Kelowna have helped out with wildfires in previous years. Surrey fire crews are also no strangers to lending a hand elsewhere in the province.

White Rock firefighters reflect on wildfire experience

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Deputy fire Chief David Burns said Monday that two four-man crews from halls across Surrey have been deployed to West Kelowna so far; the first headed out Thursday and the second on Sunday (Aug. 20).

Both chiefs said crews will continue to deploy for as long as needed.



tracy.holmes@peacearchnews.com
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Tracy Holmes

About the Author: Tracy Holmes

Tracy Holmes has been a reporter with Peace Arch News since 1997.
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