Local Firefighters Contain Spread of Fire
Four Columbia Shuswap Regional District fire crews responded quickly to a structure fire in Tappen on August 2, containing the blaze to a single property and preventing it from spreading to surrounding trees. (Photo Credit: CSRD) Click to enlarge photo.
By Jo Anne Malpass
When a structure fire on Vella Road area in Tappen started spreading to surrounding trees on the evening of August 2, the quick response of four Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) fire crews held the fire to the single affected property.
CSRD communications posted that evening to keep the community informed, and residents posted their gratitude to the Tappen Sunnybrae, Shuswap, White Lake and Eagle Bay Fire Departments for the “amazing response” by our “incredible, determined and caring firefighters.”
CSRD Deputy Regional Fire Chief Len Youden said, “I’m just so proud of them, what they did, the decisions they made when they arrived on scene,” “and then the work they did after that, working together on a fairly big, steep property.”
The call came in at 9:30 pm. Given the conditions at this time of year, a structure fire triggers an automatic mutual aid call. “We get other trucks and departments on the road the minute a structure fire call comes in.”
Tappen Sunnybrae firefighters arrived first on scene. With trees and brush in the heavily forested area already burning, the incident commander made a quick determination, seeing there was nothing they could do to save the structure. Knowing how fire behaves, they focused their water application on the up-hill side to prevent the fire from running up the hill.
As the other three fire departments arrived, they turned their attention and water application to the left and right sides of the property to stop it from spreading.
“By the time I got there,” said Youden, “there was still some spotting and there were trees on fire, candling, but those initial water applications made a massive, immediate difference.” In the regional fire service, fire departments in the community train and work together “so that when they are on scene, it’s seamless, it’s like one fire department.”
By 11:30 pm, CSRD communications reported that firefighters “remain on scene, however, it is not believed the fire will spread beyond the current boundaries. BC Wildfire is also still providing support to prevent any further spread of the fire.
The home has been completely destroyed. Supports are being provided to the homeowner through the Shuswap Emergency Program’s Emergency Support Services.”
“It could have gone the other way if it wasn’t for our great crews,” CSRD Communications Tracy Hughes told the Scoop the next morning.
Youden always encourages people to call 911 when they see a fire. “Don’t delay, don’t try to put it out yourself. We gladly turn around if we’re not needed.” Always, but particularly now during current conditions, “we’d rather you call and don’t need us than need us and don’t call.”
