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Vol. 120, Issue 81
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Fruitvale keeping an eye on its water supply
MAY DAYS SALUTE
Most communities doing okay with water restrictions in effect next month
LIZ BEVAN PHOTO
This year’s Beaver Valley Citizen of the Year, Dorothy Mitchell, rides shotgun and waves to the parade crowds with Fruitvale Mayor Patricia Cecchini in the driver’s seat during the Beaver Valley May Days parade. They are followed up closely by the Fruitvale Beaver, who only gets inflated for special events. The parade took place midway through May Days on a sunny Saturday afternoon, along with sports tournaments, food fair, beer gardens, kids carnival and more. See Page 2 for more pictures from the weekend event.
Air tankers, crews quell local wildfire BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
Eleven property owners in the Big Sheep Creek area near Rossland were on evacuations orders Saturday night after a forest fire spread from the valley up the mountainside. With the help of two Kamloops air tankers and favourable wind
conditions, Fire Chief Terry Martin said after a four-hour battle, no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. “It had potential to be quite bad but we were fortunate the wind was in our favour and with the assistance of the Ministry of Forest personnel, it worked out very well,”
he added. When crews from Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue arrived at the site just before 7 p.m., two homes in the direct path of fire were the main concern. “We had a lot of apparatus and water so we were able to stop it See FIRE, Page 3
and even numbered houses on even days. In times of higher demand, the village augments its water supply with two wells. Cresswell says supBY LIZ BEVAN ply is getting low, hence the Times Staff higher restrictions. While most communi“It is getting a bit low,” ties in the Lower Columbia she said. “We are a bit conBasin aren't concerned about cerned that is has been really current water supply lev- dry and that means people els, Fruitvale is the excep- have been watering more tion and it’s sending up the than usual. We got some rain yellow flag to signal higher (on Sunday night) but it realwater restrictions starting ly wasn't enough.” next week. Trail isn’t facing any Fruitvale gets the major- imminent shortage however, ity of its water supply from annual water restrictions will Kelly Creek, and with little also go into effect on June 1. rain and record low snowChris McIsaac, Utilities pack in the Kootenays, Lila Superintendent with the City Cresswell, chief of Trail, con“Ideally we administrative firmed that the officer for the vilcity doesn't have would get down lage, says some a lack of water to the provincial households due to the main norm, which is might see a little source flowing yellow flag on around 600 litres fast right in the their lawn after city's backyard. per person. In switching to “Well, our Trail, we are up Level 2 restricmain water suptions. ply is from the around 1,200 “We take part Columbia River, litres per person in the little yelso it is a pretty in the summer.” low lawn flag prolific supply,” program – the he said. CHRIS MCISAAC water smart So why are flags from the the restrictions Columbia Basin Trust,” she being put in place? As it said. “If you get a little yel- turns out, Trail has one of low flag in your front lawn, the highest water consumpthat means they have been tion rates of any municipality watering outside of the times in British Columbia. allowed. Most people don't “We are trying to reduce really realize there are water our consumption so our peak restrictions in place. We just summer demands are not so want to get the word out high and taking a toll on there.” the system,” he explained. Starting on June 1, the “Ideally, we would get down Fruitvale watering restric- to the provincial norm tions are getting bumped which is around 600 litres from Level 1 to Level 2, per person. In Trail, we are meaning fewer watering up around 1,200 litres per hours in a day. person in the summer. We Residents will only be use quite a bit of water.” allowed one sprinkler per McIsaac says the high house and are only allowed water use in the Silver City is to have it on between 8 a.m. due to the large amounts of to 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 9 green space in the area and p.m. Odd numbered houses the need to keep it growing. water on odd numbered days See ROSSLAND, Page 3
Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN866-897-0678 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242
on Wednesday June 3
CAMP DAY
come support
CAMP DAY Every coffee sold helps send kids to camp! Welcome new owners Brandon and Sarah Byers.
Canada Post, Contract number 42068012
Free kids playroom and ball pit
www.wanetaplaza.com
5 min. east of Trail on Hwy 3B