One house has been destroyed by the Monte Lake wildfire that broke out Wednesday afternoon between Vernon and Kamloops.
Adrian Conradi says his brother, sister-in-law and the couple’s two young daughters were away from their home on Martin Mountain when flames raced up the hill and consumed the house.
Conradi says nothing was saved and the family is still coming to grips with everything they own being burned.
He says his brother’s family had bought this property in February and it was their dream home.
“That was where they wanted to settle down with their kids,” said Conradi.
He said the family was not given much notice to leave – his brother was at work and his sister-in-law was visiting friends with their two kids.
On Thursday, the family was able to go back, with RCMP escort, and survey what was left.
FULL COVERAGE: Wildfires burning around B.C.
“The house was completely razed, there’s nothing left of the house, just a smoking foundation,” said Conradi. “But there’s little pockets of things that were untouched. My brother was raising chickens, he had seven birds and he had managed on the evening of the fire, just to get into the house to see the burning embers and he found the chicken coop was standing.”
His brother was able to grab three of the birds that night and the remaining four the next day when they went back.
“The good news story here is that the people of Kamloops and I think all over the interior of B.C. have just been exceptional,” added Conradi.
A GoFundMe has now been set up to help the family.
Conradi says his brother does have insurance coverage but it’s not known if the family will rebuild on their scorched property.
“Their dream property is obviously tarnished, literally and figuratively. Who knows what this experience will actually mean for them in terms of their connection to that place?”
WATCH: Family home destroyed by B.C. wildfire near Monte Lake
The latest estimated put the Martin Mountain wildfire size at 150 hectares and it’s 30 per cent contained.
But several dozen properties remain evacuated and more are on evacuation alert.
Sixty-six firefighters, aircraft and heavy equipment are working the fire.
The cause is under investigation but it is almost certainly person caused. Some witnesses told Global News it was started by a discarded cigarette.
-With files from The Canadian Press-
Watch Below: The 150 hectare Martin Mountain wildfire burning near Monte Lake has destroyed one home. With the blaze on 30 per cent contained, crews continue to patrol houses to try and make sure they aren’t threatened by flare-ups. As Megan Turcato reports, one witnesses thinks the blaze might be the result of a discarded cigarette.
Comments