Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: VAGAbond on July 12, 2021, 07:57:41 PM

Title: Sparks Lake fire
Post by: VAGAbond on July 12, 2021, 07:57:41 PM
Way back in December the buddies and I booked fishing at Hihium Lake for June 27 thru July 1.  Last year at almost that time it was quite cool.   Little did we expect to experience a statistical 1000 year heat event.   We knew before we departed that it was going to be hot and blasted past Lytton and Cache Creek with the windows up and the A/C on.   It was hotter at the lake than we expected and peaked at 42'C on the 29th.

During the afternoon of the 28th there was a little bit of smoke to the east and we remarked that something must be starting over that way.   At 5:42 PM it was apparent that something really was burning.


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51290060998_823c05ce75_c.jpg)[/url]



By 6:24 PM the fire obviously picked up a bit.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51290897545_8c5d8d68ba_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9jYdw)


The fire settled down nicely overnight but was still evident the morning of the 29th.  It picked up during the day and by early afternoon was looking energetic.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51290897460_317c252e5e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9pfTK)

By ten to nine in the evening it was really getting going.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51289139762_0b466870ac_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9pfSh)


By 9:20 it was really going:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51289886041_3cc39d651f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9ffn9)

By 9:40:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51290897290_6bd1645bb3_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9j5d2)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51290604644_1141b200c2_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9pfPm)



The foregoing photos were taken with my iPhone which it quite a wide angle lens but the smoke column more than filled the picture towards the end as the setting sun illuminated the smoke.

It settled down overnight but on the 30th it was too smokey for photos.     At 11PM on the 30th the RCMP came around and said it was time to leave.

Thus ended our fishing but we were done anyway. (https://flic.kr/p/2m9nKPJ)
Title: Re: Sparks Lake fire
Post by: BNF861 on July 13, 2021, 06:52:03 AM
Neat but scary pictures of how quick a situation can change.

I feel for all the home owners throughout the province with nearby fires watching, waiting and hoping conditions keep the fires away.
Title: Re: Sparks Lake fire
Post by: Blood_Orange on July 13, 2021, 09:18:39 AM
Oof, thanks for the photos. Scary stuff. I've got close family in Vernon and they've had two fires so far this year within 5km of their home. I hope the property where you stayed escaped unscathed!
Title: Re: Sparks Lake fire
Post by: Wiseguy on July 13, 2021, 08:31:44 PM
Oof, thanks for the photos. Scary stuff. I've got close family in Vernon and they've had two fires so far this year within 5km of their home. I hope the property where you stayed escaped unscathed!
The lodge is still under a evacuation notice.
Title: Re: Sparks Lake fire
Post by: clarki on July 14, 2021, 05:08:26 PM
That gravemarker in the foreground of your pic looks familiar!

Sad story about the sudden death of Ken. A great loss for the family.

Thanks for the pics. Amazing how fast the fire took off.