Wednesday June 24, 2015 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST INCLUDED
Mt. Ida fire under control Investigation: Wildfire believed to be caused by human activity. By Barb Brouwer OBSERVER STAFF
A 0.5-hectare wildfire on the south side of Mt. Ida north of Haines Creek was in mop up yesterday and under investigation. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says the wildfire was reported at 4 p.m. Monday, June 22 and, despite initial reports of a lightning strike, is believed to be human-caused. A three-person rappel crew, a 20-person unit crew and tankers responded quickly. At 12:30 p.m. yesterday, a guard had been established around the fire and a 20-person unit crew, a bulldozer, an excavator and two water tenders were fighting the fire. “They were getting rain in the south end of the zone in the morning and there’s a chance for Salmon Arm to get some in the afternoon,” said Winter, hoping for precipitation to help quell the blaze. Unfortunately the Environment Canada forecast also included the possibility of a thunderstorm. With Salmon Arm already in high fire danger rating, the forecast for the next seven days, at least, is for dry and very hot conditions. Winter said that without precipitation, the fire danger rating would reach extreme by the weekend. Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Coldwells says the intense ridge of high pressure is building from the deserts of Arizona and Nevada. She says temperatures in the Salmon Arm area will top out about 37C to 38C this weekend and will “be flirting with records.” “On June 28 we’re forecasting 37C and the record is 35.6 set in 1937,” she says. In the meantime, Winter advises extreme caution and says a campfire ban by the weekend is a possibility. “The more we see abandoned fires, the more likely it is a campfire ban will be put into effect, she says, noting several factors are taken into account when effecting a ban. To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or dial *5555 on a cell phone.
EVAN BUHLER/OBSERVER
Paddle power The Kamloops Dragon Boat Club competes in the 12th Annual Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday, June 20. Clubs from around the region participated in the increasingly popular sport. For more from the Shuswap Paddling Festival, see page A16.
Rescuer becomes the rescued Mt. Logan: Climbers caught in storm. By Lachlan Labere OBSERVER STAFF
Gordon Bose got the best of Mount Logan, before nature got the best of him. The Salmon Arm man was recently part of an expedition to the summit of Mount Logan, the jewel of Kluane National Park in the Yukon Territory and the nation’s tallest peak at an estimated 5,959 metres. The expedition began in late May. Bose and two other men, all seasoned mountaineers, ascended via the East Ridge, and reached the summit on June 2.
This week The Salmon Arm Observer honours community leaders for their contributions. See A8. Graduates of Salmon Arm’s Storefront School celebrate their success. See A14 for more.
The following day, as the men began their descent, the weather took a turn for the worse, eventually forcing them to contact the parks service and a rescue operation was arranged. On June 11, they were lifted off the mountain by helicopter. As vice-president and technician with Shuswap Search and Rescue, the irony of having to be rescued from the mountain isn’t lost on Bose. “I kind of took the brunt with some frostbite,” said Bose. “One of the other fellows had a little bit of pulSee Altitude on page A2
BRYCE BROWN PHOTO
Blowing snow: One of the climbers battles the high winds on Mount Logan.
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports................A15-A17 Time Out....................A18 Arts & Events ... A19-A22 Vol. 108, No. 25, 44 pages