As Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas remarked, sa国际传媒� It is an event that is etched in the minds of all those who experienced it in 2003.sa国际传媒�

The city marked the 20th Anniversary of the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire during a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 16).

sa国际传媒淲e all have our own stories and our own memories,sa国际传媒� added Dyas. sa国际传媒淲e are grateful that no lives were lost and our community strength allowed us to recover from the second largest civilian evacuation in Canadian history.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Lessons learned from the Okanagan Mountain Park fire

The news conference also featured former mayor Walter Gray, who was in office in 2003, and former fire chief Gerry Zimmerman.

The Okanagan Mountain Park wildfire started around 4 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2003, with a lightning strike near Rattlesnake Island.

It eventually burned 239 homes and forced the evacuation of more than 30,000 people.

Despite the destruction, Zimmerman said it could have been much worse.

sa国际传媒淲e were ready to start bulldozing a swath right around Barnaby Road to try to save the rest of the city. Our fear was it was going to come into the city.sa国际传媒�

Thatsa国际传媒檚 when the skies opened up, recounted Zimmerman.

sa国际传媒淚t started to rain. We couldnsa国际传媒檛 believe it.sa国际传媒�

It was the same day, Zimmerman added, that three groups of firefighters had been trapped by 400-foot flames.

sa国际传媒淲e got two of the groups out, and one we couldnsa国际传媒檛, they were trapped up in Kettle Valley. They got to a safe spot and climbed under their trucks, but they thought theysa国际传媒檇 had it.sa国际传媒�

Those firefighters were all rescued.

READ MORE: Wildfire experiences shared with firefighters

Zimmerman said municipal departments and wildfire crews are much better prepared today.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e co-ordinated with the forest service, we werensa国际传媒檛 at that time. We were too worried about jurisdictional boundaries. They got thrown out and thank goodness they did.sa国际传媒�

Current Fire Chief Travis Whiting said 2023 has been a tough year and there is still a long way to go.

sa国际传媒淢y thoughts are with those who have been impacted so far and I hope for a safe end to this season for everybody involved,sa国际传媒� he said.

He also praised the firefighters who battled the Okanagan Mountain Park wildfire.

sa国际传媒淭he crews that took on that fire worked incredible hours in difficult conditions to protect their community and their homes. Our firefighters were joined by B.C. wildfire service, Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, and local fire departments from across the province who came together in an amazing show of support.sa国际传媒�

Whiting also thanked emergency support service volunteers for their tireless efforts in assisting evacuees.

The Okanagan Mountain Park Fire eventually scorched more than 250 square kilometres and most of the trees in the park.

READ MORE: McDougall Creek fire above West Kelowna grows to 4 hectares

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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