At it's peak in mid-August, the Vernon Fire Camp was home to over 520 firefighters and support personnel (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Firefighters leaving

Dismantling of Vernon Fire Camp underway

Sep 17, 2021 | 11:59 AM

The final firefighters and support staff stationed at the B.C. Wildfire Service’s Vernon Fire Camp have had their last meal at the facility.

After having breakfast on Friday, the roughly 100 members packed up their belongings, took down their tents, and began their journeys back to their home communities.

The camp is being dismantled as the White Rock Lake wildfire is considered as ‘Being Held’ and no longer classified as a Wildfire of Note.

While the firefighters and support staff have already vacated the premises, Hannah Swift, information officer with the Wildfire Service, told Vernon Matters the whole camp won’t be fully dismantled and demobilized until around Tuesday, Sept. 21.

She also notes that there is still infrared scanning going in the evenings and firefighters are being sent out to put out hot spots and securing the control line, but the few remaining crews are now staying in hotels.

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The camp was established in early August, and at the peak of the incident, there were upwards of 520 personnel staying at the camp on City of Vernon land next to Kal Tire Place on 43rd Avenue in mid-August.

Swift said the summer was very trying on the firefighters and personnel, and she is very grateful to the city for providing land for the camp, as well as to the public who cheered the firefighters on and helped raise morale.

“The B.C. Wildfire Service has had incredible support from the community of Vernon and beyond. Having those supporters out every day, morning and night, to cheer crews on as they head out to the fire line or returned back to camp, has just been incredible,” Swift remarked.

“We haven’t seen anything quite like that in other places around the province, so it was very helpful in keeping morale high.”

Swift said being able to set up the camp at the Kin Race Track Park was beneficial as it was close to resources and amenities that other camps in more rural areas couldn’t access.

Swift added that, if the need for another firefighter’s camp in the area presents itself in the future, the BCWS will work with the City of Vernon to establish one in the community again. However, Swift said those partnerships aren’t made in advance and there’s no guarantee if and where a camp could go at this time.

The operations on the White Rock Lake wildfire front lines will be handed over to the Vernon Fire Zone, which is a branch of the Kamloops Fire Centre, who will continue the hot spots and control line work until the fire is completely under control.

by Liam Verster

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