Wildfires have raged across B.C.'s Interior for the better part of a month, but the fire in Lake Country's Okanagan Centre neighbourhood struck too close to home for Okanagan residents.

Within an hour the blaze had grown to 20 hectares in size, threatening an entire neighbourhood and prompting an immediate tactical evacuation of 330 properties.

Lake Country Fire Department firefighter, Rick Gandha, was busy preparing his gear for the journey to aid Wildfire fighters in Cache Creek’s massive Ashcroft wildfire when his crew was dispatched.

“The page came in as a grass fire in the ditch on Okanagan Centre West Road,” said Gandha, a father of two and high school teacher at OKM.

“The truck was redirected while en route and I thought maybe someone called it into the wrong location.”

Anticipating a ditch fire, Gandha and his crew members traveled down Lake Country’s Tindle Road before turning onto Nighthawk Road when they quickly realized the intensity of the dangerous fire.

“We immediately noticed how aggressive and quickly the fire was moving, you could feel the heat and the smoke was so thick and dense even trying to find the hydrant was very difficult.”

The crew, originally dispatched for a ditch fire, immediately realized they didn’t have enough manpower for a blaze of that magnitude.

With structures already on fire, the crew switched from forestry gear to structure gear and called for backup. 

“It was difficult because we could already tell some structures were on fire and you’re thinking wow these are people, these are friends we live in the community with, we play softball with these guys,” explained Gandha, who has been a paid on call firefighter for five years.

Photo Credit: Contributed.

Photo Credit: Contributed.

Next on the scene were members of the Ellison Fire Department, and the focus switched to saving structures, however, the intensity of the fire had rapidly increased.

Gandha describes hearing BC Wildfire Service planes roaring onto the scene from above as the “glory sound” that provided a sense of security for the undermanned crew facing an out of control interface fire.

Photo Credit: KelownaNow.Eight homes were lost in the fire.

“These guys don't get enough credit for what they do,” said Gandha. “They're laying down the retardant right away, BC WIldfire Service deserve huge credit for localizing that fire and stopping the direction it was going.”

While local fire departments continuously learn and practice advance fire fighting techniques, it’s almost impossible to be ready for a fire of that magnitude.

Photo Credit: KelownaNow.

“You see in the news the pictures and videos of the fires up north and this was honestly comparable. There was candling of trees, there were embers, it was very hot and there were times when you're unsure of what direction the fire was going to go,” explained Gandha, who’s family home with his wife and two kids was immediately put on evacuation alert.

“You’re out there fighting the fire but worried for your community, your friends, your neighbours. My wife and kids were getting help packing up from neighbours because we were on evacuation alert.”

Photo Credit: Contributed.

In total, eight homes were lost in the 55 hectare Okanagan Centre wildfire. Had it not been for the valiant efforts of fire crew and BC Wildfire Services, more homes surely would have been lost in the populated neighbourhood. 

Gandha reminds home owners to take precautions to better protect their properties from wildfires such as trimming hedges as well as cleaning roofs, guttes, and yards.