Trees

This photo is from a long time ago, when I had the large pines taken down along the road side. I like watching the skilled guys. There was a climber up here yesterday, but I didn't know about it until he was back on the ground. At least four properties have had trees taken down in the last few days.

I loved the trees too, but a lot has changed since I bought the property more than 52 years ago

I took this photo somewhere around 1968. This is what Baldy looked like about 38 years after it was incinerated by wildfire. No cabins or ski hill in 1930. We all have a part to play in making our community more wildfire resilient.

What is Larix?

The clue is in the event logo, and I looked it up after I saw the name on a contractor truck the other day.

Western larch (Lw) - Larix occidentalis

Thanks to Merriam Webster

From Castanet Today

Look closely - do you see who I see? Former Baldy Nancy Greene Racer, and former member of the Baldy Snow School.

Need a hint?

Engineer to the left, lawyer with me.

Support the real shirts............

 https://orangeshirtday.org/2025-every-child-matters-orange-shirt-design/

There are many orange shirts for sale out there - people making profits from them. This link takes you to the site involving someone I heard interviewed yesterday, about the real orange shirts.

Squash!

Thank-you Paul and Lesley for sharing the bounty from their garden. A box of spaghetti squash was left at the side of the road marked "Free". 

Today - last chance to register.........

 

baldymountainresort 

Last chance to sign up for the first ever Larix 10K!

Participate in Baldy's new Trail race event where you'll climb over 600 metres to the peak of Mount Baldy and all the way back down. All are welcome, whether you want to push for a podium finish, or simply walk.
Prizes for top finishers, and door prizes!
Sunday Sept 28th is the last day to sign up before race day next weekend! Sign up on our e-store under the events category.
Don't want to race but want to volunteer? Volunteer link is in the product description on the e-store.

Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this new event a reality:
@hwy97beer
@dasilvawines
@desertvalleyrunningclub
@steadyeffortyoga.ca
@oneillcanada
@bulalife

Thank-you Paul W.

Thank-you Paul W. for the gift of kindling for the season. It is time consuming to create good kindling this size. I rarely need paper to start the fire. A bonus today from Paul and Lesley's garden.

Another stinky morning

Starting off a little warmer this morning, and similar air quality that kept me inside for part of the day yesterday. Hoping for some air movement. The closest fire is "being held", and our smoke is coming from elsewhere.

Fire Now "Being Held"

Latest update from BCWS. 

Thank-you BCWS - Yes we have a fire close by.

N62205 - currently listed as "out of control" but the warden tells me it is a smouldering ground fire in an old cutblock, and BCWS crews are on site. Cause is under investigation.

It is being accessed by the Wapiti Creek FSR, and a hike up the hill from the road.

Thanks Rob I for the heads up and the photos.

Less than half an hour before Rob contacted me, I was cleaning out the back of the truck, and decided to keep the water and fire pump in there - was tempted to put things away. 

Baldy Family Evacuated from Peachland Last Night

https://www.castanet.net/news/Peachland/574577/Peachland-area-fire-now-estimated-at-220-hectares-more-wind-expected

Castanet was streaming live for awhile last night. It is very dry pretty much everywhere. We need a major moisture event - just maybe not the white one in the forecast.

We know what it is like to be evacuated - hoping our friends are allowed home soon.

Winemakers move on..............

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/574482/Winemakers-Cup-moving-from-Oliver-s-Mt-Baldy-to-Penticton-s-Apex-Mountain#574482

Weather Dependent - Friday Night Outdoor Movie at the Pink Palace

 

Do you have a Canon printer that uses 251 and 250 ink?

Anyone have a Canon printer using 250 and 251 ink? I have a 250 sealed new, and 251 sealed new cyan and black. 250 "resealed" and a 251 "resealed" - they were just put in to the printer before it failed for the last time. Three open used colour 251's.

$60.00 is a deal on the sealed ones, you get the other two black that are basically full, but seal has been broken.

Friday Night Movie at the Pink Palace, with Michael J. Fox

 

New Funding for SOGH

https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/572869/South-Okanagan-General-Hospital-receive-pledge-for-2M-in-equipment-and-staff-housing#572869

Ultrasound will be available in Oliver, and staff housing for the Doctors who come into town to cover ER Shifts.

Lots of Activity

The photos I have taken of village construction sites have been shared with the owners only.

• There is a foundation ready for delivery of a Chapparal home in October.
• There is interior and heating work going on in a cabin that was to lock up last winter.
• There is an addition happening at another cabin.
• .......and, that muscle man Tom is working hard, and I have no doubt that his cabin will be to lock up before the weather turns. 

Are you on the BMR newsletter list?

New edition out today including info on flex passes and the Larix race coming up. 

Knapweed and other Invasive Species

Boundary Invasive Species Society

https://www.boundaryinvasives.com/invasive-species/terrestrial/knapweeds

I have seen knapweed creeping into our community. Pulling and destroying can control the species if dealt with when there aren't too many plants.

Lower down, ranchers have participated with a bio control program of larvae that gnaw at the roots. I was shown the insects in action by a Bridesville rancher when we took a wildfire course together.

I had one of the bad thistles growing in my driveway. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo before I dug it out and incinerated it. It was one that had very sharp spikes.

Thank-you to Tom W. for removing thistles from common property walkways.

Rock Creek and Boundary Fall Fair - September 13th and 14th - Celebrating 80 years

Check out the website for the schedule of events.  https://www.rockcreekfallfair.ca/  

Scroll down the fair home page to see 4 smiling faces of Baldy family who worked here at one time.

Bentley's family are all working the fair today. Stop by the history booth and meet Janine's Mom and Dad.

Stop by and see Quinn.

Not too late - See Liam at the Rock Creek Fall Fair this weekend.

 

Pink Palace Movie Night Friday

A horror/comedy. I'll take a pass thanks, but if you want to watch the Lost Boys with your neighbours, the movie starts at 8:10. Picture and sound quality is excellent.

More from Tree Trail

Thanks Cheryl Dennill for this photo of another trail improvement project from Iain and Callum.

Someone has been working hard on Webster Trail - no one has taken credit yet, but it looks like an attempt to make the trail bike friendly.

 

It just makes me angry............

If you have room in your vehicle to bring new electronics home, you have room in your vehicle to take the styrofoam and old electronics to the proper recycle depot. Cardboard in the dumpster? At least the batteries were not tossed in the dumpster. 

NO ER at SOGH - noon Sunday to 7:00am Monday

https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/570943/South-Okanagan-General-Hospital-s-ER-to-close-Sunday-afternoon-to-Monday-morning

Mother Nature's Air Cleaner

Nice to wake up to wet ground, cool temperatures, and fresh air to circulate in the cabin. Everything is damp, and short bursts of moisture continue while the sun tries to come through.

The camera doesn't record what I see.......

Bright orange moon and bright orange sun show more white with colour deflected.

 

Mamma Mia - What an uplifting way to start the weekend.

Thanks to Rob, Nicole, Nona and Jessica for a fun Friday movie night. The inflatable outdoor screen gave us clear, sharp images, and the sound was great too. I have seen the movie before, and the stage production, but there were parts and jokes that I had forgotten, and of course the music is great.

Highway Closures

Coquihalla still closed due to wildfire.

Fraser Canyon route closed due to accident.

Hope Princeton open, but keep your eyes on the road, not the wildfire.............

About those trails............

There are countless hours put in by various volunteers on the hiking/snowshoe trails. Some want to be acknowledged, some don't, and some of them don't even like each other.

All trail work is appreciated by the many people who use them,

Trail Improvement

 

Thanks to Cheryl Dennill for the photo - I've had it for about 3 weeks, and just looked up what I was doing that day, to understand why it didn't get posted.

"This new bridge has been put in  recently at the beginning of Tree Trail, close to the cabin run. It is well constructed and replaces an old pallet that covered the muddy spot for years. Thanks to Iain and Callum. It is a big improvement that will be appreciated by many hikers and snowshoers who use that area."

Mamma Mia! The Pink Palace is hosting the village people for outdoor movie night.

I saw Mamma Mia live on stage in Toronto with family. My sister and I laughed, sang and knew what song was coming next from just the few first notes. My brother-in-law smiled, and my nephews pretended not to know us.

The Pink Palace is hosting an outdoor movie night on Friday -  show starts at 8:30. Bring your own chair, blanket, and if necessary N95 mask. I'll be playing the Mamma Mia CD in the truck to prepare.

Air Quality

If you are struggling with air quality in the valley, you may get some relief up here. We can smell smoke, and it is hazy, but not as bad as the reports I am getting from the valley. 

Thank-you Ron Hiller

 

The moon from Sidley Mountain last night. Thanks for sharing the photo Ron Hiller. Hard to believe that by this time next week, we will have gathered with 100 plus others celebrating 50 years since we graduated from SOSS.

or 59 years since this photo............

More Details to Come - hay truck fire - Hwy 3

Map shows fire at intersection of Hwy three, and the "other " Fish Lake Road, that leads down toward the Jolly Creek Rec Area at the bottom of the second canyon. East of the Canyon bridge.

No aircraft noted on Flight Aware, multiple trucks noted headed that way from the Rock Creek side.

Gerald Feist photo

Seems like burning hay smells a little different than burning forest.

*Bentley made it home via Rock Mountain Road.

Great News for RDKB FireSmart

RDKB has been a leader in developing and implementing FireSmart work. Just announced, more funding to carry on the good work.

Monitored upslope fire has jumped the Coquihalla - Road is closed.

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/570277/Wildfire-forces-closure-of-Coquihalla-Highway 

Earlier reports had this fire losing intensity going into previously burned area. It is raging now and jumped the highway.

Fire Danger Rating High, unless you are sitting in the creek

We are currently rated as a "4" or high danger rating, but not that far below us is "5" or extreme. 

At the moment, we are outside of the area that is forecast to have heavy smoke settle in tomorrow.

To have this kind of prolonged heat in September is unusual, but we are learning that what used to be the norm, is not anymore. 

Please consider getting a FireSmart assessment.

• as soon as it is safe to do so. get rid of those dead trees
• rake your property.
• consider installing an outside tap
• If you don't live here and prefer to leave your interior water off when you aren't here, consider a plumbing change that would allow you to have a live outdoor tap while the inside water is off.
• consider leaving hose(s) and sprinklers outside

Maintenance

Sugar chairs are back on the line. Prinoth is out of the shop. One of the PB's had it's nose in the shop yesterday afternoon. 

Under Control - fire discovered yesterday

Fire reported yesterday north of us is now under control.

New Fire North of us, discovered today

 

Today and Four More Days

Those cool damp days in August were nice - getting tired of the hot ones now. It is cooler than the valley, and the light breeze helps. The drifting smoke, not so much. 

Visible Signs

Gone are the days when a first responder could call one of our local paramedics and ask for directions. If you are calling 911, hopefully you have someone who can wait down at the entrance to the ski area and lead them in.

As an interim step, I have again volunteered to refinish the old street signs. The reflective glass beads will be applied tonight. Thanks to Wayne Dennill for volunteering to take the signs down and put them back up.

Many cabins do not have house numbers posted. Many of the posted ones are not visible in the winter.

Looking into the options for reflective community signs is an example of a project that someone in the village could take on. Approach council, and or the community association and do the research. You do the leg work, the council and community association can figure out where some funding can come from. 

ER Closure Again at SOGH - 1:00pm today to 7:00am Tuesday

 https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/569775/South-Okanagan-General-Hospital-emergency-room-closing-afternoon-overnight#569775