Island Fires

[Aces]

Oil and gas companies don’t target BC customers any differently than customers elsewhere. But it’s so easy to blame them. Oil is sold on global markets for prices that don’t differ in BC vs Alberta. If you’re looking to fix blame……. BC doesn’t have many refineries (and nobody wants them). People in BC fight tooth and nail against pipelines which deliver oil and gasoline from places where there are refineries. So we pay a premium to get gasoline from elsewhere. Much of the island’s gasoline comes from Washington. Add to that the fact that BC continues to elect governments that love to add fuel taxes and carbon taxes to the price you pay for gasoline. Compare Alberta and BC in this regard. But no, it’s the evil oil companies who like to stick it to everyone in BC.

Yes. Our bigger problems in the fuel chain are mostly political

 

[sly_karma]

As a layman I don't understand why the sequence in fighting fires seems to be
1- start with a skeleton crew of manpower and equipment
2-add crew and equipment after the fire is out of control
3-alerts and evacuations to follow
4-after a long protracted battle costing $, resources, and sometimes lives the fire is finally put out.

As a layman, and maybe I am wrong, it would seem to me a better approach would be
1- hit it early and hit it hard with all the manpower and equipment you have before it gets out of control, don't hold back the reserves until the situation gets worse.

That is just my take on firefighting, as a layman.

There are hundreds of fires in BC every year that you never hear about, because they were hit hard and contained early.

 

[IronNoggin]

There are hundreds of fires in BC every year that you never hear about, because they were hit hard and contained early.

Sure as hell did not happen here.
And is more than a little inconvenience!

Nog

 

[Reelin In The Years]

Maybe they should ban smoking in vehicles. You can't buy a new vehicle with an ashtray anymore. So where does the cigarette go after the person has smoked it down to the nub. Also, it is distracted driving the same as using a cell. Lots of fires are started with tossed out cigarettes.

 

[wildmanyeah]

There are hundreds of fires in BC every year that you never hear about, because they were hit hard and contained early.

camped a week in merritt some years back and you could see them putting out spot fires all the time,

i'm sure it come down to resource allocation. where they set up these teams

 

[sly_karma]

Sure as hell did not happen here.
And is more than a little inconvenience!

Nog

Yeah for various reasons a few escape initial attack. We don't know for sure what happened with this one, sometimes there is official info released after the fact, sometimes not. BC Wildfire dispatch logs showing resources tasked would be definitive, but probably need to file an FOI request to have them released. In the meantime, road closures suck.

Does MOTI have a right of way for a second route out of the area? Must be getting to be enough population in PA/Ukee/Tofino to make a second route a safety issue. This was the reason behind paving the Duffey Lake route out of Pemberton, too many people vulnerable to a longterm road closure due to a slide event.

 

[wildmanyeah]

The update today did not seem positive about it opening anytime soon

 

[SpringFever552]

Fires no doubt will be burning under ground for another week, cant see #4 opening soon,
Were running the detour rt as deemed essential, fn sucks with scheduling, my guys are stepping up and running days off and overtime to get things done...

 

[islandboy]

Surprised no one has mentioned the rail line. If only to transport commuters or freight until the slope is stabilized.

 

[agentaqua]

Surprised no one has mentioned the rail line. If only to transport commuters or freight until the slope is stabilized.

I think the railline follows a similar pattern as the discussion on the Mars water bomber - many have a romantic and impractical idea about how it works. See Table 1: Cost for Combining Sequential Phases in attached.

 

[Tieoneon]

Oil and gas companies don’t target BC customers any differently than customers elsewhere. But it’s so easy to blame them. Oil is sold on global markets for prices that don’t differ in BC vs Alberta. If you’re looking to fix blame……. BC doesn’t have many refineries (and nobody wants them). People in BC fight tooth and nail against pipelines which deliver oil and gasoline from places where there are refineries. So we pay a premium to get gasoline from elsewhere. Much of the island’s gasoline comes from Washington. Add to that the fact that BC continues to elect governments that love to add fuel taxes and carbon taxes to the price you pay for gasoline. Compare Alberta and BC in this regard. But no, it’s the evil oil companies who like to stick it to everyone in BC.

Oh I see it’s the government that raises gas prices before every long weekend !

 

[Admin]

The discussion of oil and gas companies is completely off topic, so let's stick to the discussion and updates on the fire and consequential road issues.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

Like does Bamtown have fuel?

 

[IronNoggin]

Today at 12:30 pm the media are invited to join Rob Flemming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and a ministry operations specialist for a status update about the Highway 4 closure. The availability will be live streamed on Youtube."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rXsszAD5lw

 

[tubber]

They don't want us non-essential types until both lanes re-open mid-July. Fingers crossed that temporary repairs can happen ahead of schedule as they did on Coq after the flood.

 

[IronNoggin]

Weekend of the 24th earliest possible opening of Highway 4.
Restricted to "essential travel".

OUCH!!

 

[Totally unexpected]

So the road remains closed??

 

[IronNoggin]

So the road remains closed??

Yep.

 

[Sea Chaser]

Brutal . Well fishing is essential for our mental health ?
Got a trip booked for July 28 so hopefully I’ll be ok . Sucks big time for everyone else

 

[wildmanyeah]