THURSDAY
AUGUST 20, 2015
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105
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Vol. 120, Issue 130
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Page 6
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
‘WILDFIRE OF NOTE’
STORM THE STAIRS
West Kootenay fires continue to burn: centre BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
A wildfire near Rossland and another burning north of Syringa campground added to the BC Forest Service’s ‘Wildfire of Note’ list Wednesday afternoon. The two lightningcaused blazes up the number of active fires in the Southeast Fire Centre to five – four in the West Kootenay and one in Creston. The Big Sheep Creek and Deer Creek Park fires have been burning since Aug. 12 and Aug. 14 respectively, and these lightning-caused fires remain zero per cent contained. The Big Sheep Creek fire, west of Rossland and 75 hectares, had air tankers assisting a 20-man ground crew Wednesday. The fire wasn’t threatening any structures or communities at press time, but smoke was visible to residents of Sheep Creek and Rossland. The remote Deer Creek Park fire was reported to be 560 hectares, but only visible via smoke in Castlegar and surrounding areas. Further west, an aggressive fire continues to burn in the Paulson Pass. Suspected to be lightning-caused, the wildfire has grown to 260 hectares since Friday and remains zero per cent contained. Two helicopters and six pieces of heavy equipment were on site alongside a 30-man crew, creating a fire guard
Wednesday afternoon. Highway 3 between Nancy Greene junction and Christina Lake was closed Tuesday evening around 7 p.m. when the fire spread close to the roadway. The 37-kilometer (km) stretch was reopened the following morning, but was limited to single-alternating traffic. Thick smoke and fallen debris cleared up by noon, and the highway was opened in both directions, with motorists warned of 20-minute delays. A water tender was patrolling the highway and spraying a 10-metre VALERIE ROSSI PHOTO buffer between the area of concern and Roads and Grounds Superintendent Patrick Gauvreau surveyed repairs at the city’s longest staircase beside the bottle depot the side of the high- on Rossland Avenue. The city just approved a $50,000 increase to the public works budget for stair repair and maintenance, way, confirmed Fire partly in preparation for a United Way fundraiser that has people climbing 1,501 stairs as part of a community race. Information Officer Karlie Shaughnessy, from the Southeast Fire Centre. West of Rock Creek, about 4,300 hectares BY SHERI REGNIER staircases and about 1,200 The inaugural race is the year and wants to help Times Staff have been consumed by stairs throughout West Trail. a means to invigorate the out their community, please a fire sparked Aug. 13. As Storm the Stairs read- Additionally, a July public launch of United Way’s come out,” she said. “Help The larger estimated ies for its fundraising day, so works inspection found annual fundraising cam- us help our communities. size on Wednesday was is the City of Trail. repairs are needed to leak- paign. Monies raised will be redue to new growth on This week, Trail council ing roofs, broken electrical So far, 12 people have invested back into our comthe southeast side of approved a $50,000 increase conduit, and cracked con- signed up to climb 1,501 munities and in programs the valley, though the to the public works budget crete as well as replacement stairs, and walk or run that serve our communmajority of the fire’s for stair repair and mainten- of rotten stair stringers. through West Trail streets ities.” growth happened the ance. Minimizing impact to before heading back down Teenagers 14 to 18 years initial day. “This is to ensure that the the historical stairways was to Rossland Avenue – but are encouraged to race, proThe Southeast Fire city staircases will be able to also considered by Trail and McKimmie is hoping for vided a parent or guardian Centre reports 124 new safely accommodate a high- District United Way, the more participants. signs a liability waiver givfires since Aug. 12, most er volume of foot traffic,” organizers of the event. Registration has been ing permission to particifrom recent lightning explained Andrea Jolly, Trail’s Participants will be stag- pushed back to a Sept. 9 pate. activity. communication and events gered when the race kicks deadline, so once vacationThe top three prizes will Locally, the most coordinator. “In addition to off at 9 a.m, says Naomi ers get back to town and go to the top three fundrecent is a spot fire the staircases’ daily use, it is McKimmie, executive direc- students start to think about raisers, not for whomever ignited by lightning planned that the staircases tor for the Trail-based char- sinking into their desks, crosses the finish line first. Tuesday, about six km will be used for annual com- ity. chances are more fundrais“It depends on the walkeast of Fruitvale. Initial munity events.” High school kids and any- ers will jump aboard, she ers or runners, but we believe the race will be attack crews were on site The money, which is being one else ready to break a hopes. Wednesday dealing with re-directed from the winter sweat for a good cause are “Any students out there done in two to three hours,” the fire, estimated to be road sanding account, will asked to join the Sept. 12 looking for a little extra McKimmie said. See COMMUNITY, Page 2 well under one hectare. be used to fix 12 covered event. training at the beginning of
City readies staircases as event nears
Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN866-897-0678 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242
Supporting our community West Kootenay Brain Injury Association Support for Survivors and their Caregivers in the community. Visit their store every Thursday at Waneta Plaza beside Crockett Books to view the artistic endeavours of their clients
Canada Post, Contract number 42068012
Free kids playroom and ball pit
www.wanetaplaza.com
5 min. east of Trail on Hwy 3B