Disasters and Emergencies
CDART Debriefing on Glenrosa and Terrace Mountain Fire
| Where: | Kelowna Fire Hall, 2255 Enterprise Way |
| When: | Friday, October 16th at 6pm |
| Who Should Attend: | CDART Volunteers, Noah's Wish Volunteers, Convergent Volunteers who helped us out during the fires, Interested individuals/evacuees who may want to learn more about the response |
| Agenda: | If you have a specific item that you want to see on the agenda, please email info@cdart.org. |
| RSVP: | Required so that we know how many chairs to set up. |
| Why: | To learn what worked well, what worked not so well and how we can improve our response. |
| Queries: | Call Deb at 250.493.9752, or after 4:30pm at 250.809.7152 |
Westside Wildfires, Summer 2009
Update August 5
On the recall order for the Terrace Mountian fire, Cameron Imrie asked the CDART SAR team to retrieve his two bearded dragons, one hatchling boa and a gecko.
Update July 24, evening
We have closed the pet reception centre and sent all the volunteers home
for well deserved rest. Since there are still some evacuees and
evacuation alerts, we have left our contact information in West Kelowna
and are ready to redeploy if needed.
Thank you to everyone involved with helping the animals - all the
groups, those on site and those who remained at home, and also the
families of the volunteers for all their support.
Update July 24, 930h (9:30am)
It's very quiet at our pet reception centre. The Terrace Mountain fire
is only 20% contained so we are remaining on site in case there are
further evacuations. Most Terrace Mountain evacuees are reporting to Vernon.
If it remains slow, we will be doing 'on the job training' of
volunteers. New volunteers will shadow more experienced volunteers to
learn the required tasks.
We are trying to calculate the level of volunteer involvement so far. We
have some estimates: 30+ volunteers, putting in 850+ hours. This
includes CDART, Noah's Wish and convergent volunteers.
Well done, team!!
Update July 23, 2030h (8:30pm)
CDART team members have performed one rescue request for an Afghan
(dog). We received authorization from the RCMP and went into the field
immediately and the family was reunited.
We are still sheltering 2 cats from the West Kelowna fires and had one
cat surrendered to us yesterday. Ace was adopted the same afternoon.
There are many spot fires due to lightening strikes. Both forestry and
fire departments have responded quickly and are doing an excellent job.
The RCMP has also been wonderful in supporting our rescue efforts.
Update July 23, 3:30 pm
CDART is remaining in the field to handle evacuees from the Terrace
Mountain fire. Evacuees to the north go to Vernon and the Vernon SPCA
will handle the animals. Evacuees to the south go to West Kelowna and
CDART will handle the animals. This situation i just unfolding. We will
update when we can.
July 22, 18:30h (6:30pm)
The remaining evacuees can return home tonight and our volunteers
working at the shelter and in maintenance will be able to go home soon
as well. CDART assisted over 300 animals during the disaster, including
horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, rodents, chickens, other livestock
and many, many fish.
We worked as a team with other agencies to provide a coordinated
response for the animal evacuees. Now we can only hope that we won't be
called out again, especially for a human caused fire.
Celina Chase-Hrabanel, CDART volunteer from Kelowna, was
working Animal Intake at the ESS Reception Centre. Volunteers quickly
got attached to the dogs in our care.
PETsMART Manager, Ellen, is making a donation of supplies to CDART Operations Manager, Fran Cameron. This was particularly a great donation because we were in such need for small litter pans for the cats.
Horses are evacuated from the Glenrosa area on July 19th.
The CDART team went in an escorted convoy of 14 horse trailers to
evacuate the horses that rescue requests. These horses and the family
donkeys were evacuated to CDART homes in Summerland along with two goats Hannah and Naomi.
July 21, 2100h (9pm)
Good day today, with so many people going home with their animals. The
team is still sheltering animals that can't yet return home. They're
also out in the field performing rescues and maintenance. The
firefighters have increased containment so the outlook is good.
July 21, 1230 hours (1230pm)
Today is fairly busy as families come to pick up their animals and
return home with them. The team continues to provide maintenance for
animals in areas that remain evacuated. The dog from last night will be
reunited with his family tomorrow.
July 21, 900 hours (9am)
We had some activity overnight - a woman looking to pickup her dog and a
young dog brought in by the RCMP for sheltering. The youngster has
joined some other canine evacuees at Canine Campus. Canine Campus has
helped us immensely by providing fostering and 30 collapsible, wire dog
crates. We are still building our inventory of disaster equipment so the
crates were much appreciated.
Monday, July 20 1930h (7:30pm)
The CDART team has received word that the fire near Oliver is under
control. Tonight, in West Kelowna , our team will performing maintenance
tasks for the animals remaining at their homes. The status of the fires
remains unchanged. Temperatures are expected to rise in the coming days
and that is not good for the fires. No rain in sight.
Monday, July 20 15:30 hours (3:30 pm) Cheryl reports
I've spoken with our operations manager. We've assisted over 100 animals
and have a few fosters. We continue to rescue and reunite animals with
their families. Most people are keeping their animals with them at their
temporary accommodations. We are also providing food, water, etc. for
animals that remain at home.
Temperatures are up in the 30s this afternoon and that is not good for
the fire and there may be more wind gusts as well. Everybody is working
together to care for the animals. There are sufficient volunteers on the
ground at this time.
We do need small litter boxes and a bag of wood shavings (aspen only
please) for the rabbits. We don't need a large amount and are looking to
people in the area to supply. PETsMART in Kelowna has already donated
some supplies and TELUS has offered additional cell phones.
Sunday, July 19, 2145 hours (9:45pm)
Well, it was a busy day with intake, rescue and maintenance for all the
affected animals. The temperature and wind cooperated and the Glenrosa
fire is 40% contained. The wind did not kick up last this afternoon (as
often happens) so all is quiet tonight. The animals in care are all
bedded down. Hopefully, the weather will continue to help and the
firefighters can stay on top of this.
UPDATE SUNDAY JULY 19 10AM
Not much change since last night. Some horses and other livestock were
evacuated by CDART volunteers. The wind is not gusting this morning and
it is cooler - that is good for fighting the fires.
CDART (Okanagan) is still on site and teams are going in today to
evacuate some pets and do maintenance for other animals.
Things could change in the afternoon as temperatures rise and the winds
pickup. We're still at 'wait and see' if the response level needs to be
increased.
At the request of local authorities, CDART has responded to the wildfire in Westbank, BC. CDART volunteers are at the reception centre assisting people that evacuated with their animals. Under the direction of the RCMP, CDART volunteers, with 10 horse trailers, are evacuating horses that remained behind.
We will update our site as more information becomes available.
Garnet Fire,
Penticton 1994
In July of 1994 the Garnet Fire threatened
In 1996, CDART volunteers participated in the Similkameen Flood Watch.
Mount Ida, Salmon Arm, B.C. 1998
In 1998 various animals were rescued from the Mount Ida forest fire near Salmon Arm, BC. CDART volunteers evacuated the Kee-Two Wildlife Refuge in Canoe and arranged for billeting of skunks, a fawn, owls, hawks, raccoons, horses and chickens throughout the Okanagan.
Firestorm 2003
The summer of 2003 was fraught with several serious forest fires in BC. CDART volunteers, working as Noah's Wish volunteers, traveled from Osoyoos in the south to 100 Mile House in the north. Volunteers devoted weeks to rescuing and finding housing for displaced animals and set up emergency animal intake facilities, worked at reception centres, worked at the Kamloops KXA and the Kamloops SPCA and worked extensively with Ministry of Agriculture personnel to ensure the safe sheltering and return of livestock to their homes after the disasters were over.
Hurricanes 2005
When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated parts of Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005, members of CDART were there helping with animals left in the aftermath. CDART Coordinator Cheryl Rogers, volunteering just outside of New Orleans, arranged for six FIV+ cats to find refuge at Critteraid in Summerland, B.C. as well as refuge for a number of pitbulls. Two of those dogs were later reunited with their family from Louisiana.
In May of 2005, two cats stranded in a condominium building fire in Penticton, BC were rescued by CDART volunteers escorted into the building by local firefighters.
An apartment building fire in Penticton displaced several pets that were found temporary housing until they could return to their owners. And when there was a gas leak at another housing complex, CDART was called in to help. Special thanks to the Lindsey Veterinary Hospital in Penticton, BC for opening their hospital doors to shelter animals in the middle of the night!
CDART was also called in when:
- a mud slide threatened a condominium complex in Penticton
- a house burned in Lake Country
- a Surrey, B.C., apartment complex burned
- the Similkameen River Ice Jam occurred
- the Fraser River freshet threatened (2007)
- the Tatoosh Fire approached Princeton (2006)
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