2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire

On August 16, 2003 a wildfire was started by a lightning strike near Rattlesnake Island in Okanagan Mountain Park. The wildfire was fuelled by a constant wind and one of the driest summers in the past decade. Within a few days it had grown into a true firestorm.

Related Topics:
August 16 - 2003 - Wildfire - Rattlesnake Island - Okanagan Mountain Park - Firestorm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The wildfire grew at a breakneck pace, so fast in fact that people observed the fire line moving fast enough to be visible from the opposite side of Okanagan Lake.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The fire grew northward and eastward, initially threatening a small amount of lakeshore homes, but quickly became an interface zone fire and forced the evactuation of 27,000 residents and consumed 239 homes. The final size of the firestorm was over 250 square kilometres (61,776 acres). Most of the trees in Okanagan Mountain Park were burned, and the park was closed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

60 fire departments, 1,400 armed forces troops and 1,000 forest fire fighters took part in controlling the fire, but were largely helpless in the face of a once in a hundred years disaster.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There were also at least 4 Canadair CL-215s and at least one Martin Mars water bomber working this fire. Aside from an unrelated crash, there was no loss of life during the entire incident.

Related Topics:
CL-215 - Martin Mars - Water bomber

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~