Dear Editor:
On Sept. 2, a forest fire broke out near Mt. Acland and eventually spread over the mountain.
We and our neighbours were given evacuation orders. We had to stay to manage the livestock.
It was amazing to watch operations happen from inside the zone.
This fire situation could have ended very differently without the help of the firefighters.
We watched as they worked the fires endlessly, set up the backburns and installed sprinklers on the roofs of all the homes in the valley.
Heavy machinery created the fire breaks.
These crews saved our homes and lands.
We would like to thank all these brave people who continue to work on and manage the Finlay Creek Fire — the management and support people, heavy machinery operators, air crews, the crews on site in the fire and Dave and the security crew who man the road blocks.
We are grateful for the hard work of all these dedicated people.
• Ministry of Forests forestfighters
• RDOS Area F staff
• Hoodoo Contracting, Vernon
• Gorman Bros.
• Tolko
• Penticton Security
• Summerland Evacuation Centre
• Summerland RCMP
• and any others we have overlooked.
We greatly appreciate everybody’s concern, courage, determination, patience, friendliness, competence and knowledge.
Thank you also to our friends and family who have been so helpful and supportive.
Thank you very much to all.
Cathy McDougall
Don Barron
Summerland