This is a picture of Highway 20 coming into Williams Lake, BC. We have about 8 big fires anywhere from 20 KM to 100 KM from the city and all the smoke is funneling into the valley. It is awful! I don't leave the house of my work unless it is to run to my car and drive home or to work. We have a suitcase packed just in case. I work at a local hotel and we are on alert to accept evacuees. They started coming in last night. This is even worse than the 2004 fire season. I have all my quilts packed into plastic totes in case we have to go in a hurry, but can't take my frame and quilting machine. Only the Janome will fit. Am I worrying too much? I don't think so!

Oh my! I am so sorry that you are going through this. I am sure that our first responders are doing the best that they can to help you. I will be thinking about you and praying for you. I hope you are covered by insurance. Bless you and your family. Keep in touch so we won't worry about you, please!

Too sad. I am sorry you have to live with this fear and I am sorry for all the devastation the fires leave behind. Be safe.

Oh, how scarry! Please stay safe, and keep us posted!

Be safe first!!! All that stuff is replacable. Again, please be safe!! :-)

I lived in So.Calif. for several years back in the late 60s early 70s and one year we had forest fires on three sides of us. Some friends from work actually had to get up on top of their house with water hoses in case the fire jumped the canyon. Fortunately they escaped with no damage, but it was pretty scary (and smoky) there for awhile.

I totally agree - safety first and foremost. Those fires sound awful and very scary.
That area isone in which the forests have been severely infested with the bark (or?) beetle, right? I canoed the Bowron Lakes PP route about 3 years ago and it was sad to see all the dead and dying trees.

I'll keep you and all in the area in my prayers.

How awful! Scary. Hope they get a handle on it soon. Keep us posted if you can.

Thanks everyone. We learned last night we are not in any imminent danger at the moment. The evacuations are mostly from the Meldrum Creek fire that is on the other side of the river from us. We are praying for rain. The suitcase will stay packed till this is over as we know how quickly things can change with a change of winds. I don't care about anything in the house, but would hate to loose my quilts so they are in the trunk of the car and will stay there. I am lucky that I work at a hotel and always have a place to stay even if it is on a cot in a meeting room :)

That is so scary. And you are doing just what you should. Be prepared. It may never get to you and I hope it doesn't but it doesn't hurt to be ready.

Sending prayers up for you and yours! I lost everything in a fire back in 1996 (house fire, not forest fire) and it is just devastating. Most things can be replaced, but good for you for carrying your quilts in the trunk of your, don't forget to add some irreplaceable pics to the totes if need be. Hopefully the fires will be under control really soon.

Just a fast update as to what is happening here. We are still in no immediate danger but evacuation orders have been placed on some of the outlying areas to the west and south of us. They estimate there are about 100 fires in our area alone with over 300 in the province. This picture was from the front of the hotel I work at looking west towards the main fires. Meldrum Creek and Dog Creek have been evacuated due to the fire and the far west end of the city is on evacuation alert because of dense smoke. We are praying for rain.

I'd love to send you our rain if I could! Hope you have a mask for when you're outside.

HOLY C***!!! 100 fires!!!! I'm a distance from the closest, it's about 10 sq miles in size right now, and I'm getting the smoke. Guess I'll quit whining about that little one compared to what you're going thru!!!! Good luck!

I am so sorry for you and hope you don't have to leave. I am glad that you are able to get your quilts and machine out. I would like to send you whatever rain we get.