Jeremy Ford says fire started about 1000 feet from his home
Property owner Jeremy Ford who lives on Highway 33, got a front row view of this afternoon's fire in Joe Rich, that started near Philpott Road.
"About 1000 feet away from it, actually I was the one that spotted the fire and called the fire department. It was immediately across from my place," he said.
"It's some idiot flicking a cigarette out of the window – it's absolutely 100% certain for that, because it started right adjacent to the road, and that's where the fire was, and that's where it started. It swept up the hill so fast and furious it was unbelievable, I'm surprised that nobody's been killed."
He says he made sure his wife and children were safely out, and then waited until he couldn't any longer.
"I stayed there until the last minute, so that I could help out my neighbours, because they've got animals. So I got the wife and the three kids out of there, and then I waited there until police made me evacuate. I told them that I was going to let the animals next door free first, and that's what I did. So now, the animals have got a chance to live, and not be cooped up in a pen in the fire. That's all we can do."
Ford says he's at peace with whatever happens to his property.
"I'm not really worried. This sort of thing is – there's nothing you can do about it, so you just do the best that you can. And make sure the kids and the woman and everyone are out and evacuated safely, that's all."
The last update from BC Wildfire estimated the fire to be 380 hecatres.
