[Lessons in Disaster:]
The Kelowna Fire
By Darren King
Most people in Canada will by now
have heard about the wildfire that rolled over Okanagan Mountain Park
and sections of Kelowna in latter August and much of September. It wasn't
quite the fire to end all fires but it certainly went beyond anything
that anyone could have preconceived or planned for. Fire officials were
frustrated and perplexed by the inferno that rolled with ease over all
of man's futile attempts to slow its path.
At the time of this writing, the fire is still very much alive and well.
Just yesterday evening it flared up yet again and forced several thousand
more people out of their homes at a moment's notice. And that's the
thing - this is no short-term situation. The fire doesn't die; it only
rests. During the day smoke continues to pour into the sky, reminding
everyone of its presence at the outskirts of the city. And then at night,
everyone prepares for the worst; at night the wind kicks up and gives
new life to the fire, which begins to roll yet again. All that lies
between it and peoples' homes is dry timber - a fuel that lies in rich
abundance and that continues to feed the blaze as it rampages day after
day consuming thousands and thousands of hectares of what was pristine
Ponderosa Pine forest.
The worst night of all came one Saturday evening when the fire reacted
to the combination of bone-dry fuel and 75 kilometre-an-hour winds.
The result was what looked, at times, like a nuclear explosion rolling
over the perimeter of the city. Just the night before I had seen the
fire from a distance. This night, I was shocked by how much it had grown
in the period of 24 hours. At the height of its progression it rolled
over one hundred metres per minute, literally galloping over the forest
floor consuming everything in its path. In fact, the fire was so large
that it was creating its own weather systems.
Fire fighters from all over B.C. and Canada fought back valiantly with
the aid of the National Army and Navy. Yet, despite all the planning
and expertise in the world, despite world-class equipment and veteran
strategists, the fire seemed to laugh at any attempt to slow its path.
Every time a worst-case scenario was drawn out, the fire would push
the limits further. It grew and grew and grew. Fire fighters were frequently
forced to flee as walls of flame, literally hundreds of feet high, stampeded
down the hill towards them. That night, 30,000 people - one quarter
of the entire population of Kelowna - were forced out of their homes
and into evacuation centres downtown.
When morning finally dawned the next day, the fire's devastation became
apparent. Of course, one couldn't say, "when the smoke had cleared",
because it hadn't, at least not fully. As the flames subsided behind
the ridge, officials made their way into the affected areas of the city
to see what damage it had wreaked during the worst night so far. It
was no pretty site. Over two hundred and fifty homes had been burned
right down to their concrete foundations. Suddenly, thousands of people
were now homeless; the flames had destroyed their houses and possessions.
With the fire slumbering momentarily in the hills on the outskirts of
Kelowna, people began to emerge from their state of chaos and panic,
and to wrestle with the fact that their consistent, dependable lives
had been so suddenly turned upside-down - literally, overnight. The
question now became, "How do we respond to this incident that has already
gone down in the history books as the worst Canadian natural disaster
ever?" "How do we as individuals, and as a community respond?" The answer
was almost as unpredictable, unexpected and tremendous as the energy
of the fire itself.
It seems that people who had been paralysed by shock just the night
before were now overwhelmed by the desire to help in any way they could.
The community began to rally together to a degree never before seen.
While the number of evacuees was overwhelming, the volunteer response
was stronger still. At evacuation registration centres around the city,
concerned friends and neighbours gathered - seeking an outlet for their
profound sense of compassion for their brothers and sisters.
While many a volunteer organization will tell you that it is easier
to get people to volunteer time than money, the monetary generosity
of people has been equal to the volunteer participation here in Kelowna.
Fund after fund was formed to help those without house insurance, clothes,
bedding, etc. The fire chief quietly mentioned that they could use donations
of water, food, pillows, sleeping bags and other items, and the community
responded with an avalanche of goods - so much so that the same fire
chief had to come back to the media to report that they were very thankful
for the gifts, but now had more than they could possibly use. How often
do we hear that response from someone soliciting donations for a worthy
cause?
For those who chose to volunteer, the lesson was this: you end up gaining
more than you give in such situations. Of this experience, I can speak
personally. Early on in the evacuation I headed down to an evacuation
centre to offer my help. I took a crash course in registering evacuees
in order to provide them with food and lodging. Material that would
normally take 14 hours to learn was given to us in about an hour and
a half. Then, because of the great need of the situation, we were immediately
"thrown into action".
Once we were "on the floor", the chaos, confusion and reams of forms
passing between my desk and others', were a little overwhelming. Still,
despite all of that, the experience was both illuminating and exhilarating.
Never before had I gained such a sense of meaningful purpose from a
day's work. Speaking face to face with people who had just lost their
homes and possessions and then being able to help in a practical way
was a profound experience. The hours would drag on; the flood of people
would march on and on, yet we carried on with little concern for our
own fatigue because we were united in a purpose that was greater than
ourselves.
In the evacuation centre that night it seemed that the invisible walls
that keep human beings so isolated and alone had disappeared. I made
so many friends through that experience. The atmosphere, so alive with
compassion and a sense of community, was contagious. One simply couldn't
have been in that environment without sensing what I am talking about.
It was amazing! Everyone was helping everyone else; people were unconcerned
with rank and profile in the midst of the profound sense of team that
was taking root. It was truly something to behold. It was an experience
that I will not soon forget.
Slowly but surely, despite the fire's unwelcome, enduring presence,
people began to refer more to the sense of community that had been fostered
than to the fire itself. Time after time, I heard people who were interviewed
saying things like, "My faith in the human race has been restored",
"It makes you realize you're not alone after all", "I am overwhelmed
by the love of people I thought were complete strangers". Even the weathered
fire chief himself was brought to tears by the outpouring of support
for him and his crews out on the front lines. Throughout the city, house
upon house, business upon business was littered with signs of appreciation.
Where people are so often so quick to pass blame, a harsh word could
hardly be heard as people were falling over each other in mutual praise.
It was unlike anything I've ever seen before.
As much as it may seem cliché, the old adage that says that it takes
a disaster to make people realize what life is really about, really
does hold true. That is exactly what has happened here in Kelowna. Many
people are now saying that amongst this generation, this experience
has permanently changed the spirit of the city. Historically, Kelowna
has partly served as a resort centre for those trying to find "the good
life". And yet, after this experience, perhaps that sense of purpose
has been partly turned on its head. Ironically, it was when this beautiful
valley seemed the least serene, the least resort-like, that true beauty
and meaning really shone, that goodness and life were revealed.
The inescapable truth revealed through an event like this is that we
are fragile creatures in a fragile environment. We are not in control
like we think we are. This reality has brought many people, if not almost
everyone involved, to question the direction of their lives, to re-evaluate
their assumptions about God, and to recognize the fact that despite
all our differences (race, background, socio-economic status, etc.)
we are ultimately most defined by our common humanity.
What a great lesson for us as a church to watch how even a community
of people who haven't experienced the saving grace of Jesus can come
to understand the value of sacrifice. They also can be challenged in
difficult times to seek to love one another in unity, to serve those
who can't return the favour, and to give generously to those who are
in need. How much more energized, effective and deeply connected with
our sense of purpose do we as the Church become when we serve as God's
ambassadors in the crises that the world around us faces. I know that
our fledgling little church plant here in Kelowna certainly has been
struck by that reality, and I think we have been changed as a result.
