Former Liberal MP for Kelowna - Lake Country Stephen Fuhr lost everything at his West Kelowna property when the McDougall Creek wildfire swept through. After spending more than two hours sifting through the debris with a rake, the only item that survived the blaze was a miniature Delft Blue house received from KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines.
乌鸦传媒淭he house survived the house fire, ironically,乌鸦传媒� said the former operational fighter pilot.
Fuhr乌鸦传媒檚 home was swallowed by the wildfire on Aug. 19. He has visited his property a couple of times since and described it as a pile of ash.
乌鸦传媒淎ll my flying memorabilia, my memories, all the things I乌鸦传媒檝e collected over the years. I had a model of every airplane I was ever a captain on, I had photos, I had little mementos from all the units I flew on when I was in the Air Force乌鸦传媒� all that stuff is gone.乌鸦传媒�
The former politician said people have stepped up tremendously, to offer him a place to sleep and other support. Even the Prime Minister called Fuhr days after he lost his home to check in and learn more about what was happening in the Okanagan.
Fuhr plans to rebuild the property he has lived at for 15 years. He was able to find a place near his devastated property, so he could be around during the process.
乌鸦传媒淭he 2003 fire is a great example of a big event like this, it乌鸦传媒檚 painful for many people but it乌鸦传媒檚 something that can be overcome.乌鸦传媒�
When it comes to support from the government, Fuhr said he believes everyone is doing the best they can with what they have.
乌鸦传媒淏ut let乌鸦传媒檚 be realistic. If you go to that BC Wildfire app乌鸦传媒� that map is covered with fires. It is red and orange dots everywhere. I think moving forward here, we乌鸦传媒檙e going to have to have a real serious conversation about more resources, more people, and perhaps a new concept of operations.乌鸦传媒�
Fuhr noted he had shared to social media that same sentiment in the weeks before his home burned to the ground.
I am grateful for the system we have in place but there is little chance it will be able to keep up to the pace of BC/Canadian wildfires. We need more assets, people and a more robust concept of operations to increase our chance of success.
乌鸦传媒� Stephen Fuhr CD (@FuhrMP)
乌鸦传媒淭hese fires are absolutely devastating, and they impact everybody,乌鸦传媒� Fuhr said bringing up insurance rates as an example.
Fuhr said it乌鸦传媒檚 time to reinvent the wheel when it comes to wildfire season.
Black Press asked Fuhr if this experience is one that could push him back into politics, but he said it乌鸦传媒檚 not likely. Helping fight the wildfires either from the air or with flight operations, however, could be in the future.
乌鸦传媒淚f there was an opportunity to do that I think I would seriously consider it.乌鸦传媒�
READ MORE: Planned ignitions to cause increased smoke at West Kelowna wildfire
brittany.webster@blackpress.ca
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