Structural firefighters from around the province are joining the effort on the Elephant Hill fire, arriving yesterday and today, according to Fire Information Officer Claire Allen.
91裸聊视频淛ust based on increased fire behaviour as well as just the numerous structures that are up in the area to the north of the fire, BC Wildfire Service, through the Office of the Fire Commissioner, two days ago put in requests for additional structural protection personnel.91裸聊视频�
In total, 20 fire engines, each with four firefighting personnel, and ten water tenders with two personnel attached will be helping with the structural municipalities from around B.C., says Allen. The fire engines and firefighters are from communities including Agassiz, Merrit, Erris, Quesnel, Smithers, White Rock, Ashcroft and Vancouver.
91裸聊视频淟ots of different areas from around B.C. lending a hand here to help with that structural component, where our wildland firefighters are both not equipped and don91裸聊视频檛 have the necessary safety apparatus to do any kind of structural firefighting. We just handle the trees burning in the vicinity of structures.91裸聊视频�
Allen says she91裸聊视频檚 not sure if it91裸聊视频檚 common to request help from structural firefighters from other communities.
91裸聊视频淕iven the provincial state of emergency, it91裸聊视频檚 something we91裸聊视频檝e used this season especially on this fire before. We91裸聊视频檝e had numerous rotations of structural firefighters that were working predominantly in the Loon Lake area several weeks ago on this fire. Those were folks from Burnaby, Vancouver as well as firefighters from Vancouver Island.
91裸聊视频淒efinitely something that91裸聊视频檚 been going on on this fire for some time. Just especially with the structural interface impact that this fire has had. We want to get all the trained help we can in order to keep homes protected and they91裸聊视频檝e definitely done an amazing job getting the sprinkler protection units set up on homes.91裸聊视频�
They set up trigger points and set up pumps for sprinkler protection units, she says. When the fire is approaching, and it91裸聊视频檚 unsafe for wildland and structural firefighters, they can have those running, says Allen.
91裸聊视频淭hey can have those running and they run for approximately five to seven hours based on topography. That really allows a bubble of moisture to be around the structure and protect it from any encroaching fire as well as any flying embers that might be coming to the vicinity of the fire.91裸聊视频�
Some of the structural firefighters have been very active in the Pressy Lake area, she says.
91裸聊视频淭he structural crews have been going in and around there and equipping structures as needed. Especially right now, we91裸聊视频檝e seen some latent heat still lingering in the Pressy Lake area. So the structural crews are not only equipping and firing up those SPU is what we call them, so Structural Protection Units, as needed, they91裸聊视频檙e also extinguishing hot spots that are burning close to structures just given how deep everything is dug into the ground. The fire is burning more than a foot underground in many places, so deep in subsurface and root areas.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e digging down actively. That91裸聊视频檚 the best way we can extinguish those. A little bit of water on top there dries out quickly and doesn91裸聊视频檛 address the underlying fire and that91裸聊视频檚 been a real challenge with this fire as we91裸聊视频檝e seen throughout its history. We91裸聊视频檒l doust it with water but just given the dry conditions, those top layers of water there dry out quite quickly and the amount of water needed to get down into those subsurface layers is vast especially given how big this fire is. So it91裸聊视频檚 almost like an unfortunate game of whack-a-mole.91裸聊视频�
Alan Pryor and Eric Morrow from Agassiz say it91裸聊视频檚 their first time travelling to a wildfire despite having been with their fire department for 47 and 17 years respectively.
91裸聊视频淎 little nervous91裸聊视频� not knowing what to expect,91裸聊视频� says Morrow.
He says they usually attend a lot of car accidents and not many wildfires.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e here to help as much we can.91裸聊视频�
