Posts Tagged “Silja Festival”
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.
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.
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)
Firefighters and Oviatt employees work on plans to create a firebreak. (Robin Roiwland)
Two heavy ecavatorss head into the bush, watched by the fire crew (Robin Rowland)
Eventually three big excavators were used to create the fire break. (Robin Rowland)
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.
The sun sets over the Rio Tinto Alcan Kitimat Modernization Project construction site March 4, 2014. (Robin Rowland)
Updated (below) with the arrival of the Delta Spirit Lodge.
On March 4, 2014, Rio Tinto Alcan organized the first media tour of the $3.3 billion construction project since the announcement in December 2011 that the project had received the go ahead from the RTA board. The project upgrades the aging aluminum smelter, built in the early 1950s, using modern proprietary technology the company says will increase production by 48 per cent, while reducing most emissions by about 50 per cent.
I converted images taken during the tour to black and white for this blog.
Cranes operate in the area that RTA calls “Carbon South” where there will be the new modularized Paste Plant. Eventually, the Paste Plant will produce green anode blocks part of the electrical process that produces aluminum. (Robin Rowland)
A tower under construction at RTA KMP Carbon South (Robin Rowland)
Construction cranes at work at RTA KMP Carbon South (Robin Rowland)
A recycling truck passes the 1950s vintage Potline One at the Rio Tinto Alcan smelter. (Robin Rowland photo)
Part of the power grid at the RTA KMP high voltage substation area. (Robin Rowland)
Part of the power grid at the RTA KMP high voltage substation area. (Robin Rowland)
High voltage circuit breakers at the RTA KMP construction site. They are electrical switches capable of turning on power and turning off power to the smelter’s rectifier units which convert alternating current into direct current, part of the aluminum smelting process. (Robin Rowland)
The high voltage circuit breakers are seen at the RTA KMP construction site. The new potlines are under construction behind the circuit breakers and cable drums. (Robin Rowland)
An old conveyer system and an electrical transmission tower at the RTA KMP construction site. (Robin Rowland)
Kitimat’s iconic Mt. Elizabeth is seen in the background of the construction site. (Robin Rowland)
A platform lift outside the Anode Baking Furnace site. (Robin Rowland)
A heavy duty front end loader at the construction site. (Robin Rowland)
Construction at the KMP site. (Robin Rowland)
Construction goes on at the Casthouse C area, with the future cafeteria and change house in the background. (Robin Rowland)
Update March 11, 2014
On Monday, March 10, the Estonian ferry Silja Festival, renamed the Delta Spirit Lodge by Rio Tinto Alcan arrived in Kitimat to act as a bunkhouse/workcamp for about 600 workers who will be completing the Kitimat Modernization Project (Robin Rowland)