'I've never seen anything like this': Saanich firefighters aid wildfire fight
Crews responded to a brush fire in Thetis Lake Park Monday night -- knocking it down before it grew beyond one acre in size, leaving a mop-up job that was wrapped up Tuesday afternoon -- but not before the flames left nearby residents, like Deborah Danby, scared for their lives.
“That was one of the most terrifying nights of my life,” said Danby on Tuesday. “My family were trapped on the other side of the park -- we had our bikes out, we were ready to ride out on one of the trails out back there.”
In the Okanagan -- where teams from across the province, including municipal firefighters from Vancouver Island have been battling brutal flames -- officials confirmed around 200 homes in the region were damaged or destroyed.
A team of four municipal firefighters from Saanich have been helping protect homes in the West Kelowna area since last Friday, arriving when conditions were at their worst.
“It was basically an inferno and we were triaging houses when we went in,” said Platoon Captain Aaron Charlton, one of the members of the Saanich team. “Some were maybe too far gone, and we moved on to the next one -- so one would be gone and we could save five after protecting exposures from that one that might have been engulfed in flames,” said Charlton.
Despite the obvious heartbreak, no lives were lost, and the combined efforts of wildfire and structure firefighters is credited with preserving thousands of homes.
“I’ve never seen anything like this - -and even talking to firefighters across the province – we’ve never seen anything like this,” said Charlton.
Meanwhile, View Royal fire department confirmed Wednesday that the brush fire in Thetis Lake Park was out, but a team from the CRD was patrolling the area to ensure nothing reignited.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who matched with a 15-year-old girl on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Ex-partner charged with first-degree murder after 55-year-old woman killed in Montreal
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide. The woman's ex-spouse has been charged with first-degree murder.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Toxic drugs circulating in northeastern Ont., police say
Canada’s largest First Nations police service, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service issued a community safety alert as extremely toxic drugs are likely circulating in many of the communities it serves.