Kelowna firefighters join the frontlines at the Shovel Lake wildfire

Some of our own firefighters have headed up north to add their years of experience to the frontlines of the wildfire situation in B.C.

Four Kelowna Fire Department (KFD) team members have joined the fight against the largest wildfire currently burning in B.C., the Shovel Lake wildfire. Four men from the KFD left on Tuesday morning, and could be there for seven to 10 days.

Travis Whiting, Fire Chief at the KFD, said that the team will be deployed for a maximum of 10 days, but it depends on how the situation evolves up there. If help is still needed after that, they will look at sending another group of firefighters.

The four men sent to the Fraser Lake area include Deputy Chief Larry Hollier, Captain Mark Kranabetter, Peter Stantic, and Michael Walroth. The Deputy Chief took one command vehicle, and the Fire Captain and two firefighters took a bush truck with them to aid in the response.

Right now Hollier is acting as divisional supervisor and has been assigned a number of firetrucks from across B.C., says Whiting. He has been put in charge of six trucks, including one from the KFD and will be in charge of where those resources are deployed.

Mike Hill, the Union President for the KFD, says that Hollier and Kranabetter both have at least 25 years of experience. Stantic has around 15 years, and Walroth has almost 10 years.

“When other cities call for our help, we’re definitely there to give it,” said Hill.

He adds that although they may have lots of volunteer firefighters, they’re resources may still be stretched thin as they need people there all of the time. The help of professional firefighters is very much needed at the frontlines.

Hill says their presence there was quite needed, as resources have been stretched thin with all the wildfires active in the province right now and the Provincial State of Emergency in place.

The Shovel Lake wildfire is estimated at 668,375 hectares in size. Structural protection is being conducted in the nearby community of Fort St. James, and evacuation orders are in place.

The Regional District of the Central Okanagan has sent more firefighters to help out, including a team from Joe Rich Fire Rescue.