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AUGUST 1, 2014
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Vol. 63, Issue 148
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
www.dailytownsman.com
Students of solar systems
COTR signs agreement with Kimberley on Sun Mine research C AROLYN GR ANT Daily Bulletin
PHOTO COURTESY LIZZIE MIDYETTE/COLUMBIA VALLEY PIONEER
The Whitetail Brook fire, now at 650 hectares, is visible from Canal Flats but continues to burn away from the community.
Tinderbox East Kootenay
Hot, dry weather leads to numerous forest fires around Cranbrook, Kimberley SALLY MACDONALD Townsman Staff
There were 14 fires burning around Cranbrook and Kimberley Thursday thanks to hot, dry conditions and several lightning storms. Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park will remain closed for the long weekend as 63 firefighters continue to battle the now 650-hectare Whitetail Brook fire. There are three water tenders, three helicopters and
eight pieces of heavy equipment working to contain it, though growth continues to be to the northeast, away from Canal Flats. No communities or structures are threatened. Whiteswan Forest Service Road is closed from the highway to the 32-kilometre mark. Kootenay Forest Service Road is also closed from the three-kilometre mark to the junction with White Rock Forest Service Road at 34.5 kilometres. And
White Rock Forest Service Road is entirely closed. As well as the closure of Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park and its popular campsite, the road closures mean there is no access to Top of the World Provincial Park. There are another eight smaller fires in the Whiteswan area, all lightning caused, ranging in size from 100 square metres to a 10 hectare fire just northeast of
Whiteswan Lake. Meanwhile, the Wildfire Management Branch has managed to contain a 10-hectare fire near Koocanusa. Caused by lightning, the Kikomun Creek fire was detected on Tuesday, July 29 and actioned by 10 firefighters, air tankers and helicopters, with the assistance of the Jaffray/ Baynes Lake fire department.
See WILDFIRES, Page 3
A new agreement will see the City of Kimberley and the College of the Rockies collaborate on research opportunities and student training at the SunMine. The City of Kimberley has a number of partners and funders in its innovative SunMine project, including Teck, EcoSmart, the Columbia Basin Trust and more. Another partner on board will be the College of the Rockies. “The idea is that as we demonstrate Kimberley’s viability for solar generation, we need people to work in the industry,” said City CAO Scott Sommerville. “The College has a small solar component in their electrical program and they are looking to expand. We thought the SunMine would be a great place to bring students for tours and research.” The College of the Rockies and the City of Kimberley have an opportunity to collaborate on research opportunities, says Mayor Ron McRae. It’s not a financial agreement, more like a memorandum of understanding, he said. The College of the Rockies, having earned eligibility for research
David Walls
grants through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), can provide access to funding opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to the project. “The College looks forward to working with the City of Kimberley and EcoSmart in exploring training and applied research opportunities together,” said College of the Rockies President and CEO David Walls. “College of the Rockies will be seeking opportunities to engage our students in projects like SunMine. Due to the investment in trades capital funding over the past few years by the Provincial government, we have had the opportunity to expand our curriculum to include solar technology for some of our programs.”
See COTR, Page 3