It香蕉视频直播檚 been a whirlwind weekend for Dallas Chelick, his wife Carmen and their three-month-old daughter, Beckett.
The Chelicks were at their home in the Bear Creek area on Thursday, Aug. 17, when an alert was issued for the area due to the encroaching McDougall Creek wildfire.
香蕉视频直播淲e were just following along with the alert when all of a sudden we saw specific addresses that were put on an evacuation order and one of them was our place,香蕉视频直播� said Dallas to 香蕉视频直播. 香蕉视频直播淲e started packing up and really had about an hour before the police were at the end of our driveway making sure that everyone was getting out.香蕉视频直播�
With no real plan in place of where to go, the family briefly moved to Dallas香蕉视频直播� parent香蕉视频直播檚 cottage in the La Casa area. But, early Friday morning, that area was put on an evacuation order.
香蕉视频直播淲e woke up to the sound of sirens, as the whole La Casa area was getting evacuated,香蕉视频直播� Dallas said. 香蕉视频直播淪o we packed up and headed to Kamloops to get away from it all.香蕉视频直播�
In Kamloops, Dallas had previously signed up to compete with some buddies in the 2023 Sunshine Open, an amateur golf tournament at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club.
香蕉视频直播淎s soon as the fires happened, my buddies asked me if I was playing and I told them for sure no,香蕉视频直播� explained Dallas. 香蕉视频直播淏ut, when we ended up in Kamloops, my wife told me I should play, to get my mind off things because we were both obviously a wreck. At first, I felt selfish, that I don香蕉视频直播檛 need to play this but my wife said what else are we going to do while we are here?香蕉视频直播�
Dallas, who had never played the course, and had no real goals of placing in the tournament, promptly came out firing, to shoot a one under-71 on Saturday and par 72 on Sunday, to win it all.
香蕉视频直播淚 was hitting the ball really well, the course really fit my eye,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t was pretty surreal, we had a really good gallery following us for the last six or seven holes and when I got to 18, there were a lot of whispers. It came right down to the final hole and I finished one under to win, while my two partners on the day both finished even, so it was incredibly close.
It was a fantastic way to get my mind off of what was happening,香蕉视频直播� he said as Carmen, baby Beckett and their two cats were back in their AirBnB when he won.
When asked if his home back in West Kelowna was still standing, Dallas said it was 香蕉视频直播渉ighly unlikely.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淥ur house was at the centre of the fire maps for the entirety of the fires,香蕉视频直播� he explained. 香蕉视频直播淚 think, if I am being realistic, the best case is that the house is still standing and we香蕉视频直播檒l be able to salvage a lot of our belongings.
There香蕉视频直播檚 been no official update yet, roads are still closed but given where we live, which is a little acreage at the very back end of Bear Creek, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think there香蕉视频直播檚 been a ton of discussions around that area.香蕉视频直播�
Through it all, Dallas, who runs a business in Kelowna, is seeing the positives.
香蕉视频直播淯ltimately, my family is so much more fortunate than a lot of other people just in regards to the number of people who reached out offering us accommodations and support. For us, it really isn香蕉视频直播檛 a tragedy even if we lose our house. We香蕉视频直播檙e all safe and our heart really goes out to the people that are in a tougher situation.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚 just hope that as many people can get the support they need as possible.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Nearly 60 structures confirmed lost or damaged in Central Okanagan wildfires
READ MORE: No growth in Kelowna wildfire, but air quality hazardous
bowen.assman@vernonmorningstar.com
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