Look for the helpers: Stories of kindness from B.C.'s wildfires
From air-dropping food for a pig to helping an evacuee see her home is safe volunteers are stepping up to help
Speaking at a news conference last Saturday, Aug. 19, Lake Country Fire Chief Darren Lee became emotional as he talked about the firefighters who had spent the last three days working to save homes and communities in B.C.'s Okanagan.
"It's been a long few days," Lee said, visibly holding back tears. "You know, for thousands of years, just regular people stepped up to be warriors, to protect their villages, protect their neighbours, and you know, there's people out there working 36, 48-hour shifts, and they take an absolute beating."
"They know their family's being evacuated while they're trying to defend their neighbour's home, and they just keep going."
Those emotions and sentiments have been echoed countless times over the past week as thousands of people have been forced from their homes, some forever, by wildfires burning throughout B.C.'s Interior and as friends, neighbours and complete strangers step up to help.
In Wilson's Landing, with a population of about 500 during the summer, more than a dozen volunteer, working firefighters have been among those who've lost their homes while fighting the McDougall Creek blaze that tore through Kelowna, West Kelowna and the surrounding area.
Now, the wider Okanagan and B.C. community is rallying behind them, with children crafting handmade thank-you cards and an online fundraiser collecting thousands in donations.
Kathleen Zydowicz, whose husband is the Wilson's Landing fire chief, lost her home, too.
But, she says, she's been heartened by the outpouring of community support, getting hugs from strangers and connecting with people, while donations have poured in.
"I'm so grateful to all the people out there who are just so giving and kind," she said.
Here are more stories of kindness from one of the hardest weeks in B.C. history.
A free meal
When evacuees started arriving in Salmon Arm, B.C., Michael Vu started cooking.
As co-owner of the Hanoi 36 Vietnamese restaurant, Vu joined forces with other restaurateurs to offer free food to those who needed it.
"Everybody is in distress, and the [Salmon Arm] community needs to show its support from the surrounding communities — people [are] losing their homes," he said.
Over in Lake Country, Ian Palmer decided to purchase dozens of ice cream cups and distribute them to weary first responders.
"[This] might not be much, but bring a smile and bring a little bit of positive to the community when it's going through a tough time," Palmer said.
A rescued hiker
Bernard Cloutier, 66, was on the cusp of finishing a three-week solo hike through Cathedral Provincial Park in B.C.'s southern Interior when chaos struck.
Early last week, the experienced backcountry hiker from Penticton, B.C., says he realized the danger he was in when he saw the Crater Creek wildfire burning in the distance.
After waiting for 30 hours in suspense at a point around eight kilometres from the U.S. border, the hiker was rescued by volunteers with Penticton Search and Rescue (PSAR).
"These people, they're volunteers, and they do their work in the background. Nobody knows what they're doing, but when they're needed, they make a huge difference in somebody's life," he said.
A hungry pig
When a West Kelowna ranch was engulfed in flames, Pumba the pig was assumed to have perished.
But a helicopter pilot spotted her wandering on the last patch of usable grass, surrounded by destroyed buildings and ash.
He threw down some granola bars to help her make it through the next few days, and firefighters have been visiting her with apples and other food to keep her going.
"The way the community's banded together has been really special," said Keramia Lawrie, whose parents own Pumba.
A glimpse of hope
Like many evacuees, Susan Priest was desperate to know if her home was still standing.
While speaking to a CBC News crew about her situation, Priest was asked to point to where her home of 34 years would be.
That's when the camera operator zoomed in and let her check on the property for herself.
"There it is," she laughed when she got confirmation it was still standing. "That's beautiful news ... we just feel very blessed."
Fur and feathers
When people flee their homes, it can be difficult to find a place to stay with their pets.
That's where groups like the B.C. SPCA and Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team come in, providing boarding for not just cats and dogs but chickens, chinchillas and more.
Some, with permission from officials, even venture into areas under evacuation order to help reunite owners with animals they may have left behind.
Having taken in hundreds of animals, Adrienne McBride of the B.C. SPCA says she and her volunteers are "so tired," adding, "But this is what we want to be doing. We want to be helping the community. And how lucky are we that we get that opportunity?"
Want to know how you can help? CBC British Columbia has put together a guide on accredited charities helping respond to B.C. wildfire efforts.
Corrections
- This story originally stated the news conference Darren Lee spoke at was Aug. 20. It was Aug. 19.Aug 26, 2023 1:52 PM PT
With files from the Canadian Press, Brady Strachan, Tom Popyk, Winston Szeto and Arrthy Thayaparan