'Like herding cattle': Crews struggle to keep boaters away from wildfire, B.C. water bomber forced to abort refill
The weather isn’t the only challenge for crews fighting a wildfire near Sicamous, B.C. There’s also boaters.
The Two Mile Road fire is situated just two kilometres from Sicamous and is burning out of control along the shores of Mara Lake.
On Tuesday, the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Shuswap station issued a plea to boaters, asking them to stay away.
But it appears some are not getting the message.
On Wednesday, station leader Ron Sutherland said water bombers had to abort at least one flight to refill their pontoons because boats were in the way.
“It’s like herding cattle. If you’ve tried to herd cattle, it’s very hard,” Sutherland told CTV News. “People just seem to want to get in the way and get a better view. It’s just not good. It’s just getting in the way.”
Crews were eventually able to clear the space.
“The RCMP boat was there as well, they stopped a couple of boats, we got a couple of boats and finally got them moved back and the next fly by, (the water bombers) finally got to fill up their pontoons,'' he said.
Under B.C.’s Wildfire Act, a boater getting in the way of firefighting aircraft could face a violation ticket fine of $1,150 or an administrative penalty of up to $100,000. The person could also be charged with an offence under the Wildfire Act, which carries a maximum fine of $100,000.
Sutherland says his organization is run by volunteers and does not have the power to issue fines, but RCMP officers do. He also adds that, so far, boaters have moved on after being told once.
The fire threatening Sicamous started after a van hit a hydro pole, knocking it over and causing power lines to spark in dry grass for 100 metres in either direction, according to the town's mayor.
It happened just before 11 a.m. Tuesday, and by evening the blaze had forced a thousand people to flee their homes and left most of the rest of the residents on evacuation alert.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.