Posts Tagged “Firefighter”


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)
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.
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.

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.

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


Kitimat Fire and Rescue on scene at a fire on Lillooet St. in Kitimat, July 14, 2014. (Robin Rowland)
A fire that began in the kitchen destroyed a house on Lillooet Street in Kitimat on the afternoon of July 14, 2014. Everyone who was in the house at the time got out safely.

Kitimat Fire and Rescue Ladder 11 blasts the burning house with a high pressure hose. (Robin Rowland)
Update: There is now a fundraising campaign to help the family

July 1, 2013, marked Kitimat’s 60th anniversary, so the theme was “Pioneer Days.” The float from the Riverlodge Summer programs took first prize for best float. (Robin Rowland)
A girl celebrates Canada Day at the beginning of the parade. (Robin Rowland)
The RCMP and other first responders lead the parade. (Robin Rowland)
A boy and a fire truck. (Robin Rowland)
The Kitimat Museum and Archives Museum Kids contingent. (Robin Rowland)
The Child Development Centre also celebrated Kitimat pioneers. (Disclosure: I went to Grade One and Two in the long demolished Smeltersite School celebrated by the float) (Robin Rowland)
A boy on the float. (Robin Rowland)
The entry from the Kitimat Dynamics Gymnastics Club (Robin Rowland)
The winning float from Riverlodge Summer Programmes. (Robin Rowland)
A couple of young cowboys on the Riverlodge Summer Programme float. (Robin Rowland)
A girl in a Renaissance costume. (Robin Rowland)
A flamenco dancer at the stage show.
Fireworks at Riverlodge finished off the evening.
Fireworks explode with the mountain at dusk as a backdrop. (Robin Rowland)
The fireworks finale. (Robin Rowland)

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 member of the Kitimat, BC, Girl Guides prepares to lay a wreath at the Kitimat Cenotaph, during the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, BC, Nov. 11, 2012. (Robin Rowland)
There is a tradition in Kitimat, British Columbia, that children lay wreathes at the cenotaph, representing those individuals and groups that are unable to attend.
Here are some images of Remembrance Day 2012, in Kitimat.

A group of Kitimat Brownies march to the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012, as the guard of honour of firefighthers and a Mountie wait (Robin Rowland)

United Church Rev. Larry Scott does double duty as a piper at the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012. (Robin Rowland)

Doug Hughan plays the Last Post at the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012. (Robin Rowland)

RCMP Constable Brad Walsh, of the RCMP detachment in Kitimat, BC, salutes during the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012 (Robin Rowland)

Children in Kitimat wait to take part in the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012, as members of the Canadian Rangers stand behind them. It is a tradition in Kitimat that children carry wreathes to the cenotaph on behalf of groups or individuals unable to attend the ceremony(Robin Rowland).

Merle Archer, 82, who served as a nurse in the Royal Canadian Navy, reads “In Flander’s Fields,” at the Kitimat, BC cenotaph, during the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, BC. Nov. 11, 2012 (Robin Rowland)

Kitimat mayor Joanne Monaghan who recently fell andi injured her knee, struggles with her walker to lay a wreath at the cenotaph during the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012. (Robin Rowland)

Another member of the Girl Guides lays a wreath at the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012. (Robin Rowland)

Children line up to lay wreaths at the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012 (Robin Rowland)

A girl prepares to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Day ceremony, Kitimat, Nov. 11, 2012. (Robin Rowland)
On the sunny afternoon of Sunday, October 24, 2010, I just happened to look out my front window when suddenly white smoke began to appear in the valley below in the Kildala neighborhood of Kitimat, smoke which quickly added dark gray and spread out horizontally over a wide area of the neighborhood.
There had been an explosion and fire in a family home on Stikine St.. Thankfully there were no injuries.
A few shots of the Kitimat firefighters at work battling the house fire.
A firefighter cools down hotspots after much of the house was destroyed by the fire.
A firefighter emerges from the smoke of the burning house.
Firefighters tackle the stubborn fire in the attic.
Update:Nov. 3, 2010. Local media report police now say fire is “suspicious.”