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Firefighters

Shuswap firefighters miss Christmas dinner to fight fire

SHUSWAP - While most were sitting down to dinner on Christmas Day, 29 firefighters left their loved ones to battle a devastating house fire in the Shuswap. The call came in just after 6 p.m. Dec. 25, and saw firefighters from four different departments rush to the scene, regional fire chief Kenn Mount says. On...

Kamloops firefighter calendar makes top 20 list

KAMLOOPS - An online critic that reviews firefighter calendars from around the world has put the Kamloops fire hall's calendar on its top 20 list. The website, firecritic.com placed the Kamloops Firefighters Charitable Society calendar in the 19 slot of the top 20 list while the calendar from the Calgary firefighters took the top spot....

Kamloops firefighters set world record on way to the top

KAMLOOPS - If claiming several victories at the national championship wasn’t enough, Kamloops firefighters set a new world record during the Firefighter Combat Challenge in Alabama last month as well. In September, Graham Mackenzie, Mike Brown, Don Clarke, Mark Brise, Shawn Davidson, Josh Booy and Bryce McMillan took part in the FireFit Canadian National Finals...

Get your hands on these Kamloops firefighters

ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CALENDAR ON SALE NOW KAMLOOPS - As fall begins and the year winds down, local firefighters already have next year top of mind with the release of the Kamloops Firefighter's Charitable Society 2016 calendar. Cory Poirier, a local firefighter and coordinator for the project, says this year the society went with a different photographer...

Fire destroys shed, vehicles on Vernon property

VERNON - A pillar of black smoke rising from a Vernon property Sunday afternoon was the work of a vigorous shed fire.  The blaze broke out just before 2 p.m., Aug. 9 in the 4200-block of 27 Avenue, and appears to have started in or around a plastic garden shed, deputy Vernon fire chief Jack...

Grass fire burning near Vernon landfill

VERNON - Emergency crews are descending upon a new grass fire in Vernon. The fire was reported just before 5 p.m. today, July 23 on Birnie Road, near the landfill, and is an estimated two hectares in size. The Vernon Fire Department is at the scene and has requested back up from B.C. Wildfire. Fire...

Crews tackling three wildfires of note near Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Three fires of note in the Kamloops Fire Zone are in various stages following recent suppression activities by fire crews. The Coldstream Creek fire between Ashcroft and Logan Lake is 250 hectares in size. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says crews managed to block structures threatened by the fire near Highway 97C. The...

UPDATE: Evacuation order issued for aggressive wildfire near Falkland

FALKLAND - An aggressive wildfire in the Bolean Lake area of Falkland has prompted an evacuation order.  The blaze, which was reported to B.C. Wildfire about 2 p.m. Monday, July 20, quickly grew to an estimated 300 hectares in size up from four hectares earlier in the day. B.C. Wildfire reported Tuesday morning the blaze...

Grass fire sparked north of Vernon

SPALLUMCHEEN - Emergency crews weren’t taking any chances with a small grass fire just north of Vernon beside Highway 97. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says B.C. Wildfire crews were on the ground alongside firefighters from the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department in an area roughly 15 kilometres north of Vernon near Gurney Creek. The fire,...

Suspicious dumpster fire outside Vernon high school under investigation

VERNON - A suspicious fire which started in a dumpster outside a Vernon high school is under investigation The fire department was called to Vernon Secondary School to put out the fire about 11:15 p.m., Friday, June 26. “It appeared to be suspicious in nature from what we’ve come across,” deputy fire chief Jack Blair...

City approves wage increase for Vernon firefighters

VERNON - Vernon firefighters will be getting a raise as part of a negotiated deal reached with the City of Vernon this week. The new collective agreement between the Vernon local of the International Association of Firefighters and the city calls for a 2.5 per cent retroactive salary increase for each year, starting in 2013,...

Lumby gets prepared for flooding

LUMBY - Efforts are underway to protect the Village of Lumby from possible flooding. Next week, 20 wildland firefighters will help assemble an emergency stockpile of sandbags for rapid deployment in the event of a flood threat, according to a release from the Village. The measure is a cooperative effort between Emergency Management B.C., the...

What Vernon firefighters hope you do differently to prevent another tragedy

VERNON - Conditions at a fire scene this week gave crews flashbacks to conditions that killed an Enderby firefighter several years ago, and the Vernon Fire Department is now issuing a public warning in the hopes of preventing another tragedy. Crews responded to a dumpster fire around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, on 14 Avenue,...

Firefighters investigate report of smoke at Executive House apartment complex

KELOWNA - Firefighters weren't taking any chances following a report of smoke coming from a fourth floor unit at the Executive House apartment complex this afternoon. Emergency crews were called out at roughly 3 p.m. Feb. 24. According to Kelowna Fire and Rescue Platoon Capt. Tim Light, the smoke was the result of a cigarette...

Firefighters douse flames at Kelowna hotel

KELOWNA — Firefighters knocked down a blaze in an out-building of a Kelowna hotel but say they don't know how it started. Around 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, Kelowna Fire Department got numerous calls about a fire at Kelowna Inn and Suites. They found flames coming from the roof of a pool building. It wasn't...

Alarm fails when fire catches in Vernon home

VERNON - Fire forced three Vernon women out of their home in the middle of the night. Deputy fire chief Jack Blair says the smell of smoke in their 33 Street residence woke them up around 12:30 a.m. this morning, Jan. 9. “They were very lucky they woke up,” Blair says. “It could’ve been a...

Suspicious fire in West Kelowna

WEST KELOWNA – The RCMP are looking for your help to find a couple of young men after a suspicious fire was set in West Kelowna Wednesday night. Firefighters were called to the front entrance of a property in the 3500 block of Elk Road around 10:30 p.m. and quickly put out the fire. RCMP...

Crews making progress on Smith Creek wildfire; evacuation order still in place

WEST KELOWNA – Despite the cooler weather and some rain showers Saturday, the Smith Creek wildfire in West Kelowna is still a threat to homes in the area. While north and central parts of the province saw the fire danger ratings downgraded to low or moderate, the Southern Interior still has high to extreme ratings....

Support for firefighters heats up on social media

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Firefighters have been working hard to battle blazes across the province. Many residents have taken the time to thank the B.C. Forest Service and municipal fire crews for fighting day and night.  Below are some helpful lines of support and thank you's from the public.  Did you know? B.C. Wildfire has a specific...

Residents flee from burning townhouse

VERNON - Fire sent the residents of a Vernon townhouse running Thursday morning. The fire, which started around 7:30 a.m. in the second floor bedroom of a 44 Street townhouse, is considered suspicious.  "We are looking into the possibility there was a disagreement betwen the residents," RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says, adding the occupants were...

House fire wrecks wedding plans

ARMSTRONG - An Armstrong couple’s home, and the place they were going to get married, was severely damaged in a fire over the weekend. The Lockhart Drive homeowner and groom awoke just before 5 a.m. Sunday to flames ripping up the deck. Armstrong-Spallumcheen fire investigator Alastair Crick says seven people were in the house at...

Sugar Lake wildfire triples in size

VERNON - A wildfire that was an estimated 33 hectares in size over the weekend tripled overnight. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says the lightning-caused fire raging just north of Sugar Lake is now burning 107 hectares of timber. While the fire grew Sunday night, Klassen says the latest figure is the most accurate because...