‘Unprecedented tactics’: Firefighters in B.C.’s Okanagan save hundreds of homes, water treatment plant

Thousands remain displaced and multiple homes have been lost as wildfires tear through B.C.’s Central Okanagan region, but an “unprecedented” effort by firefighters on the ground means there’s good news to share too.

“Today on the ground, we are an army,” said West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund. He took time during Saturday morning’s news conference to thank the fire crews who have arrived from all over the province to lend a hand in the battle to save the thousands of homes that have been left behind in West Kelowna by residents who were forced to flee.

“To those fire chiefs… thank you. I will find a way to pay you back for the help that you’re delivering to me and my fire department today,” he said.

“We have 127 structural firefighters working the day shifts. Today there are 41 fire trucks, and they were all parked in front of my office this morning,” he said. “And there are more to come.”

The fire chief said Friday was one of the most difficult days his department has ever seen, with crews battling in extreme conditions and dealing with an overwhelming number of structure fires.

In one instance, crews encountered three houses burning next to each other in a row on a street in West Kelowna, threatening “hundreds” of homes up the hill above. Structural firefighters battled the flames on the ground, while BC Wildfire Service personnel dropped water on the fire from above.

“This is unprecedented firefighting tactics that are taking place,” Brolund said. “(To) save hundreds of homes like that is just absolutely amazing.”

He added that some incredible saves were made on Westside Road, a growing neighbourhood with multiple mobile home parks and new condo buildings. “We are not used to fighting wildland fire against six-storey condominium buildings, but the saves that were made are just absolutely unprecedented.”

Another major victory in this fight has been at a nearly completed water treatment plant in West Kelowna that was saved from the flames.

Brolund said the over 100 square kilometre McDougall Creek wildfire burned over the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant on Friday night, but the facility was undamaged.

“It’s a piece of critical infrastructure. It’s going to make an immense difference to our community when it gets turned on. And we were not going to let it burn down,” he said.

Structural crews from across the province along with BC Wildfire Service put $10,000 worth of sprinklers and water pumps on the treatment plant, saving a $75-million building, Brolund explained.

“I am incredibly devastated by the loss, but I want to share with you the good news that’s happening out there. When this fire is over, we’re gonna be able to pick back up and get that water plant turned on,” he said.

The fight continues on the ground Saturday. Brolund said he witnessed homes in two locations saved from the flames in the morning.

He said it’s unknown how many homes have been lost, as crews won’t be able to count until the current fires are put out, and it’s not yet safe to enter affected areas to assess due to still-active fires, downed power lines and danger trees.

Brolund urges the public to “be patient, be calm, co-operate and do it safely.”