Sunday, July 31, 2022
Graeme's Free Stuff
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.
Saturday, July 30, 2022
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
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.
Friday, July 29, 2022
BCWS attacking wildfire near Apex Mountain outside of Penticton that has grown to 100 hectares - Penticton News
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.
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Fire Danger Rating up to 4 today
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.
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
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Fire Danger Rating
Baldy holding at "3" or moderate.
Lower elevation (McCuddy) two days at "5" or extreme.
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
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.
Monday, July 25, 2022
Grading and Dust Control in the Village
The application rate thus far is fairly light, so hopefully no soupy spots like we see on the main roads from time to time.
Sunday, July 24, 2022
Saturday, July 23, 2022
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...
Friday, July 22, 2022
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.
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.
Thursday, July 21, 2022
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.
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
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 1st holiday to get their fuels on the
road. On July 11th, 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.
Sunday, July 17, 2022
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.
Thursday, July 14, 2022
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.
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
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.
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
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
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. |
| 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.
Monday, July 11, 2022
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.
Sunday, July 10, 2022
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?
Saturday, July 9, 2022
RDOS FireSmart urges wildfire precautions for homes as heat rises - Penticton News
Friday, July 8, 2022
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?
Thursday, July 7, 2022
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
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
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Wednesday, July 6, 2022
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...........
