Osoyoos residents rally to feed hundreds of wildfire fighters protecting town
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Two small business owners have undertaken a monumental task in Osoyoos, B.C., to show their gratitude for the men and women fighting to protect the Okanagan community from wildfire flames.
The town endured a terrifying night on Saturday after the Eagle Bluff fire crossed the U.S. border, forcing people to flee their homes and the mayor to enact a state of local emergency. Since then, shifting winds and valiant front-line efforts mean the threat of incineration has subsided, but there are still hundreds of firefighters working to keep danger at bay.
And local food proprietors Melissa Genberg and Sara Van Der Hoeven want to make sure they are well-fed while they fight.
Genberg, the owner of Queen of the South Charcuterie, lives on Anarchist Mountain overlooking Osoyoos and watched on the weekend as fire crept closer to the homes of her family and friends. When conditions changed, and residents could breathe a sigh of relief, Genberg wanted to give back by cooking for the fire crews still in town.
(Jaclyn Whittal/The Weather Network)
"I will do what I do best, which is cook lots of meals and feed lots of people," she said.
The only problem with Genberg's plan was that her shop was still under an evacuation order. But Van Der Hoeven, who had volunteered to provide coffee and breakfast for firefighters, was open for business at the Junction 3 Coffee House. Once word got out about the women's plan, people came to the café to donate funds and volunteer for food prep.
"The outpouring from the community has been very moving for me, just watching people step up," said Van Der Hoeven.
The women, who have been too busy cooking to count cash, estimate they have raised over $7,000 since Monday night. With that money — and labour and food donated from others in Osoyoos — the duo is overseeing food prep and delivery for three meals a day.
'It's the community, it's the people … if it wasn't for them, it would be really hard for us to feed 200 to 300 people every day," said Grenberg.
WATCH: Wildfire approaching Osoyoos, B.C, prompts evacuation order
Osoyoos has a population of about 5,000, but that is swollen in summer by visitors who come to enjoy the town's lake and surroundings.
Mayor Sue McKortoff, said Tuesday morning on CBC's The Early Edition that there is no smoke or fire within town limits, and the only properties still under an evacuation order are in an industrial park at the edge of town.
"We are so lucky," said McKortoff. "It's much calmer now, and as long as we don't get wild winds, things are looking better."
Volunteers prepare meals for wildfire fighters in Osoyoos, B.C. (Melissa Genberg)
Fire an 'evolving situation': Officials
The Eagle Bluff fire came close to engulfing the town as it spread from neighbouring Washington state and roared down surrounding hills on Saturday night, forcing the evacuation of more than 700 properties before a wind shift turned the tide for firefighters.
The regional district first lifted several of the alerts and orders Monday.
B.C. Wildfire Service spokesperson Shaelee Stearns said the fire saw minimal growth overnight between Monday and Tuesday but warned shifting winds fanned flames on the west side and on the northwest corner of the blaze, accelerating its growth there.
She said 50 firefighters, 65 structure protection personnel and six helicopters are responding to the fire.
Erick Thompson of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen says 48 properties in the town of Osoyoos and 143 more from the regional district remain on evacuation order.
Planes scooped water on the American side of Osoyoos Lake on July 29, 2023 as a wildfire originating in Washington state grew over the border with Canada prompting an evacuation alert for Osoyoos. (Submitted by Helen Bobbitt)
He says almost 1,000 homes also remain on evacuation alert, meaning those residents must be ready to leave at short notice.
A new incident command team is taking over the fight against the fire, Stearns said.
"This is still a very evolving situation,'' she said during a briefing on Tuesday.
The same wildfire had also burned 62 square kilometres on the American side as of Tuesday, where it has destroyed several structures.
The service says there are more than 350 active wildfires burning in British Columbia as of Tuesday, with 194 out of control and 13 fires of note that are either highly visible or pose potential threats to public safety.
Thumbnail image courtesy of Melissa Genberg via CBC.
This article was written and published by CBC News on Aug. 1, 2023. It contains files from The Early Edition and The Canadian Press.
