The Central Saanich Fire Department had a surprise visit Monday from a Kelowna family whose home was saved by a group of responders that included a Central Saanich crew and fire truck assisting in the area.
Malindi Elmore said that she, her husband, Graham Hood, nine-year-old Charlie and five-year-old Oliver dropped by with lunch at the department to show their gratitude. The boys also presented the firefighters with some artwork.
They are in the area staying at Hood’s parents’ house in Sidney after having to evacuate their home.
“Friday we decided in the afternoon that it looked really terrible and we should just get out of town,” Elmore said.
Dropping by with lunch seemed like a good way to acknowledge the local crew’s heroics, she said. Elmore said they went the healthy route with paninis, salad and blueberries for the staff.
“We wanted to say thank you for sending their other team members up to Kelowna,” Elmore said. “They were actually seen on our street on our home webcam, fighting the fire in our backyards and saving our houses.”
Their home and others in Kelowna’s Wilden neighbourhood have been spared, she said.
“We’re really grateful,” she said. “Our whole neighbourhood is incredibly fortunate that we came out of it OK.”
The family remains on evacuation order, but can still see what is happening back home via the webcam, Elmore said.
“We’re still seeing regular monitoring,” she said. “It seems hourly someone comes by and checks on spot fires.”
People on the street are all sharing photos and video footage, said Elmore, who also posted some pictures on Instagram, as well as a harrowing account of the evacuation from what was an offshoot of the McDougall Creek fire.
She said the family spent a few stressful days not knowing if the house was still standing.
“It’s a pretty sad feeling thinking you might be coming back to a house that is no longer there.”
In her Instagram account of the fire, Elmore said the air last Thursday was “ominous, heavy with smoke and howling with wind.”
“We tucked the kids into bed, assuring them that the massive Lake Okanagan would protect them but that we would pray for people in West Kelowna.”
But that wasn’t to be, she said, and after awhile there were sirens coming from all directions.
“I ran out onto the street and my neighbours were also panicky, with rumours of embers that had travelled several kilometres over the lake to ignite spot fires around our neighbourhood,” Elmore said. “As we jumped into the car, we were absolutely shocked to see, only 500 metres from our house, that our hillside was on fire. We fled to friends for the night closer to town.”
She said that the family is full of gratitude for the fire crews that have come to Kelowna from around the province.
“Crisis has a way of building community as we all look to help each other the best we can.”
Central Saanich Fire Chief Kenn Mount said the family’s visit was completely unexpected and greatly appreciated.
“I’m pretty proud of the guys,” he said. “With all the devastation that’s going on, to hear a positive spin on it and making a connection is great.
The crew members in Kelowna are Kyle Dupuis, Tristan Gentile, Jamie Ravdin and Greg Simpson, Mount said.
“They got there early Friday night and they were working with Sicamous and Kelowna,” he said. “All our efforts paid off, it’s nice to hear, for sure.”
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