A local family recently played a huge role in extinguishing a fire at Second Bridge, but left frustrated and bewildered by the lack of people around them.
B次元官网网址淚 was really disheartened,B次元官网网址� Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Timmy Masso told the Westerly B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淚t was really sad to see the lack of support.B次元官网网址�
Masso was heading to work with his parents at Canoe Creek on June 5 when they saw posts on Facebook suggesting Second Bridge at Kennedy Lake was on fire.
He said he always carries water cans with him in case he comes across any campfires, so they headed out to see if they could help.
B次元官网网址淣one of us really knew what was going on,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e realized that we had to go out there and make sure everything was OK. We didnB次元官网网址檛 know who was out there or if there were people fighting it or not.B次元官网网址�
The bridge and the road leading up to it have long been deactivated, so they hiked into the area and found several members of Tla-o-qui-aht Fisheries working to prevent the fire from spreading onto shore on the other side of the bridge.
Masso called his brother Hjalmer Wenstob who arrived with his wife Annika and their two children to help out, though Wenstob told the Westerly he was not expecting to arrive at such an intense situation.
B次元官网网址淲hen I got the call from them, I went out to join them just to bring some more buckets and fire extinguishers and whatever we had around the house to go see what was going on, assuming the fire wasnB次元官网网址檛 as big as it was,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen we got there, the entire bridge from one side to the other was burning and it was burning very hot and very fast.B次元官网网址�
Wenstob said about five Tla-o-qui-aht Fisheries members kept battling the blaze on the other side of the bridge, which is connected to land, while he and his family did their best on their side, which ends about 20 feet offshore.
B次元官网网址淚t was pretty obvious pretty quick that we didnB次元官网网址檛 have enough resources,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淣one of us are firefighters. None of us are trained as firefighters. We just saw a post on Facebook and decided to go out and offer helpB次元官网网址here was more resources from the local area? Where was more resources from everyone?B次元官网网址�
Masso then headed into Ucluelet for more supplies, picking up his boat as well as a water pump donated by the Ukee Rent It Centre, which he was very grateful to receive.
B次元官网网址淲e were able to get the fire out, but it was more a spur of the moment thing. We just saw it on Facebook and didnB次元官网网址檛 know who was out there or what was going on, so we ran out because we assumed that whoever was out there probably needed some help,B次元官网网址� Masso said.
His mom Jessie Masso said the West Coast is B次元官网网址渟uper lucky we donB次元官网网址檛 have a fire right nowB次元官网网址� adding that she was surprised to see chatter on social media about the situation, but little action being taken.
B次元官网网址淲hen we grew up, when something happened we all went to help and timeB次元官网网址檚 have changed now,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲hen thereB次元官网网址檚 a fire, it used to be that everybody would grab their hose and a bucket and put the fire out, but now itB次元官网网址檚 not like that. Everyone thinks thereB次元官网网址檚 some official thatB次元官网网址檚 doing it.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檝e come to a place where we just turn an eye and think thereB次元官网网址檚 somebody professional out there whoB次元官网网址檚 doing all the work and thatB次元官网网址檚 not always the case. We went there to help. We didnB次元官网网址檛 know weB次元官网网址檇 be the ones doing it. We went there to help put it out.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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