Confusion and frustration about where fire extinguishing assets are deployed, and why, have reached a peak for some Conceptation Bay North residents, who believe that their communities were vulnerable when a forest fire began to threaten communities near St. John’s earlier this week.
“With the way the wind blew that day, and when they threw from the water bombers to attack the Paddy pond, the fire exploded in a hell and cleaned my community,” Curtis Penney said, a resident of Western Bay.
“I firmly believe that the north coast had burned.”
Fire teams already addressed multiple fires when reports emerged on Monday afternoon from a fire that began near a line of public services near the Paddy pond, between the Trans-Canada road and Fowler’s path.
During an informative media session the next day, Prime Minister John Hogan said all decisions were guided by experts, science and security. He said that the fires in Conception Bay North and Paddy’s Pond were less than 100 kilometers away, which allowed resources to move quickly between the two fires as requested by fire behavior specialists and their operations team.
“I want everyone to know that each region in this province is important, and at no stage we are prioritizing one region over the other,” said Hogan.
Kim Whatn defends tears while describing the uncertainty and anxiety that has continued for almost two weeks. Whatn spoke with Ariana Kelland of CBC about how to lose a house is more than a building. “They are memories, it’s love, it’s laugh,” he said.
Penney evacuated his house with his girlfriend, children and dog on August 3. He took the polls that contained the ashes of their loved ones, some photographs and a couple of garden chairs.
Since then, he has been sleeping in his truck near the evacuation center in Carbarha, while his children stay with their loved ones.
“Obviously, the needs of many exceed the needs of a few,” said Penney.
“I can see how the displaced paradise and that area there require some precedence, but [there was] Absolutely no information about the change of moving water bombers or aerial assets there at a time when he was critical, critical, so that something maintains and hit the fire in Western Bay. “
Kim Whatn, also from Western Bay, is sleeping in a RV in the same area.
“I felt that due to Paddy’s pond, we are left behind,” he said. “We are equally important, you know, we import.”
“You take away those water bombers and the fire will erase everything.”
Whatn and Penney were not alone in their beliefs, and many on social networks expressed similar concerns.
Protect life and property
The director of Forest Fire Response of Terranova and Labrador spoke about the assignment of assets during the Forest Fire Information Session on Friday.
The decision of which assets are where they meet specialists in provincial fire behavior and incident management teams, said Craig Coady. He said those experts have a single primary principle.
“Above all, protect people’s lives and safety. This includes not only the people of the province, but also the life of our land teams [and] Our pilots who are doing these very dangerous works, “he said.
The protection of property and infrastructure comes next.
Coady said that water bombers pilots should be able to see other airplanes and land at all times, which can be a challenge with thick smoke or low clouds.
If a fire is considered five or six on the scale, it is too hot, said Craig Coady, director of the forest fire response of the National League. The pilots must be able to see both the land and the other at all times, and if the smoke is too thick, flying is a non -going. There are also other conditions, Coady said in the informative session of the media on Friday.
In some cases, said Coad, a fire can be too intense to control and contain, as was the scenario several times in Conception Bay North, when the water bombers became ineffective in the front of the fire.
“Even with the best plans, we have to be flexible, since climatic conditions and fire behavior sometimes change from minute to minute,” said Coad.
“Decisions must be made quickly, quietly and rationally. They must be based on science and based on fire conditions at that time.”
Meanwhile, Penney and Whamen fear that this fire spends the end of their community and its surroundings. They are questioned if the key infrastructure pieces, such as school, will be rebuilt in the same area.
Despite anger, confusion and sadness, Whatn said she is grateful to those who fight against fire.
“God loves them. They are doing everything possible,” said Whamen.
“They took out the volunteers, and everyone is doing everything possible to try to save it, and nobody should call them for that.”
