Chainsaw after dark?

Graeme's Free Stuff

 

Only at Baldy - someone in Oliver zooms in on the photo and sees something they want. Bottles gone from the road, and on their cabin door step.

17km

Black trees decked - maybe now with it being more open it won't be as tempting for dumping garbage or stolen cars.

Forecast

Two forecasts in alignment with the daily highs gradually lowering over the next 4 days, with Thursday and Friday being quite a bit cooler, with possible showers. 

Danger Rating

Three days at 4, now at 5 or extreme. I walked in to a friend's cabin to check this morning, very brittle pine needles under foot.

Infotel reporting that Apex is positioning their snowmaking guns for fire protection

 https://infotel.ca/newsitem/apex-mountain-preparing-to-use-snow-making-machines-against-wildfire/it93135?fbclid=IwAR2qQBcq3jblTr7TSnktWIOX5CxapaQFePR-5NBNEQM297E1ReraXw77dB4

Testing Snowmaking

Apex Webcam

 

Not sure which group is making the most noise....

All the cows, or all the new dogs who have never seen a cow before............

Small problem compared to our friends on alert at Apex

Aggressive fire activity persists for Keremeos Creek wildfire near Apex, growing to 440 hectares and prompting further evacuation alerts - Penticton News

Aggressive fire activity persists for Keremeos Creek wildfire near Apex, growing to 440 hectares and prompting further evacuation alerts - Penticton News: UPDATE 5:58 p.m. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operation Centre has issued an evacuation alert for more than 350 properties.

Thinking of our friends at Apex

No alerts or orders at this time for the resort- fire started in terrain that tankers couldn't fly. Apex residents have been reassured, but we know what it feels like to have a fire travel quickly in a direction we never imagined. Ash reported in Oliver last night. Some smoke smell up here.

Wildfire Smoke - That Old Familiar Smell

Last night I tried to stay up until the temperature on the main floor cooled down to the same as the outdoor temperature. I abandoned that idea around 10:00pm when the smell of wildfire smoke started to come in. I have a window open this morning - so far, so good.

Hoping wind direction is in our favour today.

BCWS attacking wildfire near Apex Mountain outside of Penticton that has grown to 100 hectares - Penticton News

BCWS attacking wildfire near Apex Mountain outside of Penticton that has grown to 100 hectares - Penticton News: UPDATE: 7:40 p.m. The BC Wildfire Service continues to respond to the Keremeos Creek wildfire, which has grown rapidly since sparking on Friday afternoon outside of Penticton near Apex Mountain.

Image from BCWF Dashboard

Updates

 9:00 am   24C   24%  RH

11:00 am   26C   20 % RH 

12:15pm    27.6C    19% RH

Last update until much later - sun will be around the probe side of the cabin shortly.

7:30pm       21.6C       22%RH

Was 43C in Oliver at 6:00pm

Four More Hot Days

9:00am  24C and 24% RH

I upgraded my weather station this spring. During the fire season, I am now reporting the relative humidity as well as the temperature on the side bar.

The BCWF weather station  we follow is north of here, and at a slightly lower elevation, but it most closely resembles conditions at Baldy.

In our original Firesmart Committee meetings, we were targeting having the bulk of the work done before June 15th this year. The late wet spring bought us another month, but conditions now are hot an dry enough that we need to be careful what type of activities we are doing on our properties.

A campfire ban is being considered, but is not in place yet. I hope community members will not light fires - any smell of smoke is going to trigger many of us to chase it down.

Fire Danger Rating up to 4 today

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/for-industry-commercial-operators/high-risk-activities 

Check the link for more info. You can still do "high risk" work, but must have fire suppression tools and water at hand, and don't go to town when you are done - maintain fire watch for 2 hours.

BC Wildfire Service Operational Update – July 28, 2022

Please, Keep Your Speed Down

A pass of dust control does not change the village speed limits. Please keep your speed down. 

Here comes the stuff...........

It appears that the water truck the other day may have been only water. The water tanker just went by my place spraying water, followed by a CanWest Dust Control making a pass in the centre of the road.

Will see what the heat does do it today, but I may not drive on the village roads today.

2nd Facebook Post about a nuisance cat at night

The other post refers to a cat spraying deck furniture, and a comment notes 4 cats out at night. All of these posts are connected to the lower part of the village. Anyone know if there are cats associated with the RV parked at the condos, or the Buck cul-de-sac?

I would recommend a motion sensor sprinkler, but last time I checked, they were around $70

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/garden/pest-control/mammals/74556-pest-deterring-jet-sprayer?item=AT611 

Fire Danger Rating

Baldy holding at "3" or moderate.

Lower elevation (McCuddy) two days at "5" or extreme.

Roads Today

Not sure if the village project is complete. There was material hauled to the government section of the road on Cougar, that hasn't been graded. Grader parked here today, and water truck down at the old microwave, washing out the cattle guard.

Aim had a grader and water truck working on the road today. The work done by YRB recently already has some washboard forming.

Lots of logging trucks hauling out of the burn.

 

Regular Gas Today

OIB Petrocan Oliver  206.9

OIB Petrocan Osoyoos 201.9

Not as hot up here, but a little advice from our friends at the OFD

 

Grading and Dust Control in the Village

Thank-you to K & E for providing me with a safe off road place for the trailer.

The application rate thus far is fairly light, so hopefully no soupy spots like we see on the main roads from time to time.

Kettle River Echo

 https://westboundaryconnect.com/wp-content/uploads/July2022Echo.pdf

Danger Rating

Baldy is holding at a 3 or "moderate", lower elevation (McCuddy Creek) now on day two of "4", or High Danger. 

No Info

Gravel truck placing crush on the village roads yesterday and this morning. Sorry I don't have the scope of the project or the timing.

70th High School Reunion

Firesmart George Nielsen and classmates featured in the Times Chronicle - I know most of them...

https://www.timeschronicle.ca/high-school-buddies-laugh-like-teenagers-70-years-on/?fbclid=IwAR059eUkBjvNLhJn4fSU-GB5RDcPdvQ8uDrHoR4oN7PpRNvUW35RMtslHzU

Recycling Event in Greenwood

 

Missed out on a Firesmart Assessment?

Our Firesmart Assessor has been called to the fire near Lytton, so there will be no more individual assessments at this time. If you want help making a plan for your property, ask one of the Fire Smart Board members. There is a self assessment score card on line.

https://firesmartbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FSC-CRI-Home-Ignition-Zone-Assessment-Score-Card-Fillable.pdf

Have a good look at your cabin, and check for areas where embers could sit or penetrate. The first 1.5 metres from your home is also important to rake down to mineral soil.

The slides sent to you prior to the Firesmart Event in May are posted online.

https://skibaldy.blogspot.com/p/firesmart-slides.html

BC Wildfire Update

 

Outside Tap

Have you given consideration to installing an outside tap, preferably one that can be on when your house water is off?

A hose and a sprinkler on standby is a good thing.

We have had the occasional fire start within the village. One year an owner left the mountain without fully extinguishing a fire on his property. I was able to grab hoses from two yards to add to mine and reach the fire and put it out.

Another time I was concerned about an owner leaving shortly after burning on his property. I used his outside tap and my sprinkler to make sure it was out.

Increased drying of fuels.........

The GRIZZLY EXT Fire condition station has been holding at a 3, or moderate fire risk.

Moderate: Forest fuels are drying and there is an increased risk of surface fires starting. Carry out any forest activities with caution.

As the hot weather continues, the forest fuels are continuing to dry out. If you are using chainsaws on your property, please be mindful of this - choose a fuel free area to refuel your saw, and have water and a shovel ready.

My closest call years ago was cutting firewood in the bush with a group of neighbours. The hot saw ignited a fuel spill from refuelling. Fortunately one in the group was trained , and ordered us to "kick it in". We all started kicking the ground and surrounding the fire, and kicking dirt on it. Fortunately we put it out quickly. It could have started a major fire.

I will be monitoring and posting the hazard ratings.

Chipping

Thanks to the crew from Millar Tree Care, 300 cubic yards of forest fuels were picked up from village roads Tuesday and chipped. That is the equivalent of about 30 dump truck loads that won’t be going to the burn pile. BMR was happy to take the resulting 30 cubic yards of chips for their ongoing trail work.

The original plan for the “free pick-up” was to give owners one weekend after the July 1^st holiday to get their fuels on the road. On July 11^th, the volume on the roads to be chipped was photographed and estimated to take less than one day. In the 8 days since then, many more property owners have been adding material to the road, some even piling on the road after the chipper had already done their area. It is encouraging to see so many property owners doing FireSmart work on their properties.

Please don’t add any more to the road, as I have been told there is some urgency to grade the village roads while YRB is in the area doing some long overdue grading on the Baldy Road. 

Logging in the burn

We've seen lots of loads on the main road, but on the 14th, I took this photo, near km 17. The lighting wasn't the greatest, but if you look closely some of the trees were cut leaving very tall stumps. My guess is that is for wildlife.

 

Trades in Demand

I met a friend in town yesterday buying a bunch of ABS pipe and fittings  -  could not get a plumber.

One of our listed Tree Contractors won't be up here until the end of August.

One of our listed Tree Contractors is now booking 2 months out.

My neighbours know another one of the listed contractors and are having trouble getting a time booked.

Our go to chimney guy is struggling to cover his existing customers, and other chimney cleaners are retiring and quitting. He has covered Apex and Princeton in the past. I asked him if he would consider training someone - it is not a desired job because it involves being up on a roof and getting dirty.

Sorry Guys - Beach Volleyball may not be a good idea this weekend..........

I thought I was doing a good thing chasing the cattle away from the lodge and a young family out walking. They stopped in the middle of the beach volleyball court, and at least one of them unloaded.

 

Abnormally dry as of June 30th?

 At our location I would not call it abnormally dry at this date.

Wood Stove Upgrades

 

The Provincial Wood Stove Exchange Program

Contact Woodstove Exchange Program Coordinator John Vere 
250.442.9519 or woodstove@rdkb.com

Six thousand dollars in funding will be available to RDKB residents to change out old, smoky wood stoves for cleaner appliances including heat pumps, gas or pellet stoves or cleaner burning wood stoves.

The RDKB helps to promote the Wood Stove Exchange Program throughout the region, in partnership with the BC Ministry of Environment and the BC Lung Association. The program has been ongoing since 2008, with hundreds of old appliances replaced by clean-burning stoves and gas appliances.

Useful links for additional home heating rebates: 

https://www.fortisbc.com/rebates/home/connect-to-natural-gas-space-water-heating-rebates

https://betterhomesbc.ca/rebate-search-tool

BMR Cutting Brush

 

Fire Bans Increased as of Friday

Category 2 burning to be prohibited in the Southeast

7/12/2022 9:26 AM

CASTLEGAR - Effective at noon PST on Friday, July 15, 2022, Category 2 open fires will be prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. Anyone who has been conducting Category 2 open burning anywhere in the Southeast Fire Centre must extinguish any such fire by the deadline. This prohibition will remain in place until Oct. 15, 2022 or until the public is otherwise notified. A map of the areas affected by these prohibitions is available online here. As of noon on Friday July 15, specifically prohibited activities will include: • Category 2 open fires: One to two concurrently burning piles no larger than two metres high by three metres wide or burning stubble or grass over an area less than 0.2 hectares; • Fireworks; • Sky Lanterns; • Exploding binary targets; • Air curtain burners and, • Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description, except when used for a campfire as defined by the Wildfire Regulation. This prohibition does not ban campfires that are a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller and does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes. Larger Category 3 open fires have been prohibited throughout the Southeast Fire Centre since June 30, 2022. More information on the different categories of open burning is available online here. These prohibitions apply to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise (e.g., in a local government bylaw). Check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire. Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs. The Southeast Fire Centre would like to thank the public for its continuing help in preventing wildfires. To report a wildfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For up-to-date information on current wildfire activity, conditions and prohibitions visit: bcwildfire.ca Follow the latest wildfire news on: • the free BC Wildfire Service public mobile app, available for Apple (iOS) and Android devices • Twitter: http://twitter.com/BCGovFireInfo • Facebook: http://facebook.com/BCForestFireInfo Contact: Fire Information Officer BC Wildfire Service Southeast Fire Centre 250 318-7715

Fire Centre Bulletin 3603

 

Major Clean-up Done in 40 minutes

Thank-you volunteers. 40 minutes this morning and the transfer station was cleaned up. Thanks to the volunteers who loaded their personal vehicles to haul away the metal and appliances to the proper locations.

A most disturbing find was a large window that had been tossed in the bush. A lot of broken glass picked up.

It may take a day or two for Mama Bear to figure out there is no more food there, so be aware.

Photos to come - I forgot my camera, and Sherry took photos.

Questions Asked

I have received a few photos and inquiries about the trailer camped on the cul de sac on Buck Road, and the sign. It appears that part of a route that owners have used to ski in to their properties may be through a lot. I sourced the maps through the RDKB mapping system.

*Update - see comment - next image from the comment

https://imgur.com/a/eXynixP That section at the end of the culdesac is a road allowance, Lot 16 stops short to the north and rem lot 17 is at the south. That's a 10m gap there (32ft) between those lots of crown. Mike from Kamloops

 

The Mail Box

Anyone else get fooled trying to collect your mail? My key didn't work today - went to the post office to ask......they added another bank of boxes on the town side - if you had a box in the end unit, it is now the second from the end.

Catch up with Colleen

Patrol supervisor Colleen works for BCWF in the summer. I met up with her and her initial attack colleagues on McKinney Road today - just above the pavement. They were assigned to evaluate grasses up McKinney Rd today.

A much easier start to the season this year - Colleen was one of the first on scene at several of the major fires last summer.

Lytton Homeowner's Story

  https://vimeo.com/728890259

Work Party Tuesday 9:00am

Meet at the transfer station at 9:00 to pick-up garbage - make lots of noise, bring gloves and any other tools you have. 

Great response on Owners Facebook page. 

Not suggesting you go looking, but if anyone has a photo of mama bear, I would like to include it with a small article to West Boundary Connect. It is my belief that the Baldy Community is generally responsible at the transfer station, and that the source of the garbage strewn around is from people bringing large loads up, and leaving the dumpster over stuffed, and the lid not securely closed. Sometimes I wonder - are they spending more on gas coming up here than they would on fees at Rock Creek?

Cultural Burning - Prescribed Fire

 

RDOS FireSmart urges wildfire precautions for homes as heat rises - Penticton News

RDOS FireSmart urges wildfire precautions for homes as heat rises - Penticton News: As temperatures climb, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen FireSmart team is urging homeowners to prep their properties against wildfire.

You might have been helped by Hayden at Baldy when he has patrolled here - CSPS I think? Grandson of ranching pioneers in OK Falls, the late Morrie and Denise Thomas - special people.

Vaccine Booster Update

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKoB5WnrZOA

If you don't want to watch the whole thing, fast forward to Dr. Ballam.  In the fall the boosters may well be a yet to be approved modified booster that is more effective on Omicron.

Dog by transfer station - looking for his people?

Dog ID'd - owner notified

Male, no collar, maybe a bit of mange on the belly - was hungry - jumped into Kevin's truck - he is sticking close to Kevin, and will be taken to the SPCA in a couple of days when Kevin heads down.

Download Sugar if you don't want to walk down.........

Approvals and ramps are in place for downloading on the Sugar Lump. If you or someone in your family wants to ride up for the view and ride down, that is available to you Saturday and Sunday.

Burn Pile - Thanks Iain

Nathan dug through the black, mother nature soaked it down, Iain consolidated the stuff, and Rod looked for nails. Lots of room now - please dump forest fuels where indicated, and no construction/lumber/nails.

Painted/contaminated wood waste goes to the Greenwood landfill. Randal is around to haul old outhouses............

*. Rock Creek accepts clean non painted construction wood waste, with nails. I took a full trailer load there that was mostly the non reusable parts of our outhouse and it only cost  $16. 

 Tonight we had another downpour and hail.

Roads July 5th

Erosion repair when I went to town on the 5th.

Coming home this afternoon, there was a Highways Ministry truck parked at the change of districts. I pointed over my shoulder towards Oliver and asked if he was going to order us a grader............

He smiled, said "sure" then "hopefully"

BC Wildfire Service provides July wildfire seasonal outlook - Kamloops News

BC Wildfire Service provides July wildfire seasonal outlook - Kamloops News: B.C.'s Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy and Matt MacDonald, lead forecaster from the BC Wildfire Service, are providing July's wildfire seasonal outlook and an update on seasonal wildfire preparedness on Thursday afternoon

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/wildfire-status/current-wildfire-situation/seasonal-outlooks/seasonal_outlook_-_july_2022.pdf

Saturday and Sunday

 

Alden Road

 

Burn Pile Access

Thanks Nathan for dealing with the black part of the burn pile on the weekend. You may haul forest fuels to the burn pile again - best to back in. 

The kids who grow up at Baldy...........

I've taught a lot of people how to ski over the years, and watched a lot of Baldy kids grow up. Every once in a while I have a chance meeting with them as adults.  A pleasant surprise yesterday to encounter Lucas Grover at Buy-Low -  a hug and a visit.

Luke was already a snowboarder when we met, so I didn't teach him how to ski. I am pleased that he has moved to Oliver, and started his own business - specializing in welding and fabrication of stainless items for the wine industry. Check out his website  - he does great work.

https://grovermetalfab.com/

https://www.facebook.com/grovermetalfab 

I lifted this photo from his page - part of a custom project for Rainmaker Wines.

This one is a custom fire pit for a Shrike Hill client.

Our friends at Phoenix - Fundraising for their Snowcat

  

https://app.ticketowl.io/Yre9Nlh2nY8sRUBU/event/YrfDODy5QR48xbEK/