MONDAY AUGUST 17, 2015
DRY SUMMER
A GOOD SEASON FOR GROWING
See LOCAL NEWS page 2
KALEIDOSCOPE
MANY MONETS
A review.
See LOCAL NEWS page 3–
THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 83, Issue 158 | www.dailybulletin.ca
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SAR teams searching Findlay Creek for missing man Still missing as of Sunday C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
Search and Rescue teams from all over the East Kootenay are on the scene in the Findlay Creek area, looking for a Canal Flats man who fell off a bridge while trying to free his stuck vehicle. Kimberley RCMP Cpl. Chris Newel says the search began Friday night but was called off due to dangerous conditions and darkness. “RCMP received a call around midnight of collision on the Skookumchuck Forest Service Road Bridge just off Findlay Creek Forest Service Road,” Newel said. “The driver had failed to negotiate a curve onto the bridge and became high centered on the guardrail. While attempting to free the vehicle he fell off the bridge into the creek below.” Newel says the man was outside the vehicle
trying to push it free when he fell. “BC Ambulance, Canal Flats Fire Dept, RCMP and Search and Rescue teams attended and attempted to locate the male but the search was called off due to dangerous conditions and limited search ability given the darkness and terrain.” The search resumed early Saturday morning with SAR teams from Sparwood, Columbia Valley, Golden, Cranbrook and Kimberley. “Over 20 team members many of whom are trained in Swift Water Rescue are involved in the search, which went on until dusk,” he said. Teams were back out on Sunday. In June 2013, two men went into Findlay Creek in a truck and rescuers had great difficulty searching because of high water. Newel says the the water is much lower at this time, but still moving quickly which is restricting search efforts.
“The rugged trained has created difficult conditions that the teams have overcome to effectively search the creek.” A collision analyst attended and conducted a scene examination given the circumstances. The subject is a 51-year-old male from Canal Flats; police are working with the family during this difficult time. Newel had high praise for the search teams. “SAR teams throughout the province continually train and upgrade their skills for situations like this. The teamwork and commitment shown during this incident is excellent. All the team members are volunteers who have come out to assist the family, RCMP and the community. For that we are thankful”. The area is approximately 50 km northeast of Kimberley and 15 km west of Canal Flats.
2015 FIRE SEASON
It’s not over yet
46 new fires in southeast region; 29 structures lost in Rock Creek C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
The 2015 fire season, already costing the province over $200 million with 1,604 fires to date, 473 of those in the Southeast region, picked up over the weekend. The Southeast Fire Centre has responded to 46 new fires since Thursday, almost all of which are believed to be lightning-caused. Crews are responding to these new incidents in order of priority, says Fire Information Officer Fanny Bernard,
with the protection of life and property being the main objectives. The entire region has been blanketed with smoke since last Thursday. Bernard says the smoke is mainly from fires in Oregon, Idaho and Washington State, but local fires, such as the 600 hectare Mount Midgley fire near Creston may be adding to it. The Mount Midgley fire is burning 13 kilometres northwest of Creston and was discovered Friday, August 14. Bernard says cooler temperatures and some rain helped over the weekend and the fire has not grown too much. The fire is highly visible from Creston, she said, but not threatening CHRIS NEWEL PHOTO homes or communication towers on Search and Rescue teams from Sparwood, Columbia Valley, Golden, Cranbrook and Kimberley are the mountain. searching the rugged terrain of Findlay Creek area for a Canal Flats man. See FIRE, page 4