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Archive For The “fire” Category

Kitimat celebrates Canada Day 2015

Kitimat celebrates Canada Day 2015

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The winning float in the 2015 Kitimat Canada parade from the Community Supper Club. (Robin Rowland)
canadaday1Staff Sergeant Phil Harrison who is retiring from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police leads the Canada Day parade.  (Robin Rowland)

Kitimat Fire and Rescue. (Robin Rowland)

Kitimat Fire and Rescue. (Robin Rowland)

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Kitimat Marine Rescue Society (Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue SAR 63) still affectionately known as “Snowflake Responder”  (Robin Rowland)

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Mayor Phil Germuth. (Robin Rowland)

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Rio Tinto Alcan’s Gaby Poirier leads the RTA entry in the parade.  (Robin Rowland)

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Kids enjoy the parade. (Robin Rowland)

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The Haisla Nation Spirit of Kitlope Dancers. (Robin Rowland)

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(Robin Rowland)
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(Robin Rowland)
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The gymnastics club. (Robin Rowland)

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Handing out goodies to spectators along the parade route. (Robin Rowland)

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The Canada Day cake at Riverlodge ready for cutting. (Robin Rowland)

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Later on the afternoon of Canada Day, a wildfire broke out on the hydro transmission corridor near the Rio Tinto Alcan smelter. It was contained a couple of days later. (Robin Rowland)

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Fireworks. (Robin Rowland)

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Fireworks. (Robin Rowland)

July 4, 2015 Robin Rowland
Alpha6000, BC, Canada Day, fire, forest, Kitimat, news photo, parade, Photography, policeballoon , British Columbia , Fireworks , float , gymnastics , Haisla , Kitimat , Phil Germuth , RCMP , Rio Tinto Alcan , Royal Canadian Legion , smoke , Spirit of Kitlope

Smoke from wildfire blankets Kitimat

Smoke from wildfire blankets Kitimat
helcopter fights wildfire

A BC wildfire helicopter flies through smoke and clouds into the sun over the Kitimat River preparing to dump water on the afternoon of July 17, 2014. (Robin Rowland)

Instagram

 

Updates with cause,  Friday morning situation

A wildfire broke out in the Strawberry Meadows neighborhood, about two kilometres south of Kitimat, around 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 17, 2014. Kitimat Fire and Rescue quickly responded to the call, setting up a command post at the back of the Oviatt  Contracting construction yard which was close to the fire. The  District of Kitimat says the fire was caused by an unattended canpfire on the Kitimat River bank. The fire began about 100 metres square and driven by strong winds, quickly spread to two hectares and then about  three. (The District release says the fire was about one hectare, the one to three hectare estimate came from those on scene at the time). Oviatt officials say the fire was technically in Haisla territory, within the boundaries of the estuary and river reserve area #1, a traditional Haisla fishing area.

Kitimat Fire and Rescue found that the overgrown brush near the river was too thick and called in the BC Wildfire forestry service firefighters. As they waited, Kitimat Fire organized a firebreak with the help of Oviatt employees on site which luckily had all the heavy equipment needed to cut a gap through the bush to the river. By 5 p.m. winds had spread the smoke and haze throughout the town.

At one point fish camps on the Lower Dyke Road were evacuated as a precaution. First one, then two Forest Service helicopters arrived to fight the fire, and later were joined by a aerial tanker from Smithers which made about six or seven drops on the fire. A second firebreak was pushed through the bush.

Smoke over Kitimat

Smoke and haze from the fire blanket Kitimat around 7 p.m. Thursday (Robin Rowland)

The tanker was then redirected to a fire near Terrace while the helicopters continued to drop water on the fire. At the height of operations, according to a release from the District of Kitimat, seven BC Forestry Service Firefighters on the scene and 12 Kitimat Firefighters were there monitoring the fire guards for any hot spots.

 

Firefighting helicopter

A wildfire helicopter picks up water near the Silja Festival in Kitimat harbour to fight the blaze at about 8 p.m. (Robin Rowland)

The firefighters were worried that strengthening winds would drive the fire either toward the upscale homes in Strawberry Meadows or toward the fishing camps along the river on the Lower Dyke Road. While the wind did become much stronger in the early evening, the weather was quickly turning cool and there were light raindrops by the time the District said the fire was contained at 8:18 p.m. Kitimat Fire and Rescue left a crew at the Oviatt site overnight to monitor for hotspots.

Firefighters

Kitimat Fire and Rescue assess the fire situation after arriving at the command post set up at the Oviatt Construction yard. (Robin Rowland)

Firefighters

Firefighters and Oviatt employees work on plans to create a firebreak. (Robin Roiwland)

Front end loaders create fire brak

Two heavy ecavatorss head into the bush, watched by the fire crew (Robin Rowland)

Front end loaders create fire break

Eventually three big excavators were used to create the fire break. (Robin Rowland)

Fire Fighting helicopter

The first forestry helicopter arrives on scene. (Robin Rowland)

As of Friday morning forestry crews were surveying the area for “a dangerous tree assessment” and to check for hotspots. The District of Kitimat reminded everyone in the news release that a campfire ban is in effect.

July 18, 2014 Robin Rowland
BC, fire, forest, hyperlocal journalism, Kitimat, news photo, Photoblog, Photography, Photojournalism, sunBritish Columbia , construction , Firefighter , forest , helicopter , Kitimat , Oviatt Contracting , photoblog , Silja Festival , trees , wildfire

House fire on Whittlesey Street, Kitimat, March 2, 2013

House fire on Whittlesey Street, Kitimat, March 2, 2013

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Update: News release from Kitimat Fire and Rescue

At approximately 7:20 pm Saturday March. 2, 2013, Fire crews responded to a residential structure fire on Whitlesey St. The Fire Department responded with two engines, one ladder truck, and one Ambulance with 15 firefighters and two Chief Officers.
There was extensive damage to the garage and roof structure of the house. Crews remained on scene for 3 hours and 30 minutes. There were no injuries reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

A fire caused major damage to a house on Whittlesey Street, in Kitimat, Saturday night, March 2, 2013. Neighbors said everyone got out safely. Again, according to neighbors the fire began in the garage, which was also a home workshop. There was apparently a fuel source of some kind in the garage for the fire continued for some time in the garage, despite efforts of Kitimat Fire and Rescue to extinguish the flames. Kitimat Fire are expected to remain on scene overnight. A police investigation into the cause of the fire will begin on Sunday morning.

A Kitimat firefighter sprays water on the stubborn fire on the garage on Whittlesey Street. (Robin Rowland)

A Kitimat firefighter sprays water on the stubborn fire on the garage on Whittlesey Street. (Robin Rowland)

A Kitimat firefighter battles flames on Whitesley Street. March 2. 2013 (Robin Rowland)

A Kitimat firefighter battles flames on Whittlesey Street. March 2. 2013 (Robin Rowland)

Kitimat Fire and Rescue fighting the blaze on Whittlesey Street, March 2, 2013.  (Robin Rowland)

Kitimat Fire and Rescue fighting the blaze on Whittlesey Street, March 2, 2013. (Robin Rowland)

Fighting Kitimat fire

A Kitimat firefighter works on the stubborn blaze in the garage. (Robin Rowland)

Fighting fire

March 2, 2013 Robin Rowland
fire, KitimatFirefighter , Kitimat , Kitimat Fire and Rescue , Photo gallery , photoblog , rain , snow

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