(Image Credit: Facebook / Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade)

By Ashley Legassic / Dylana Milobar

FIREFIGHTING FUNDRAISER

Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade fundraising for equipment boost

Aug 10, 2019 | 5:23 AM

CLEARWATER — A grassroots community firefighting group in Clearwater is working to raise money for fire protection equipment.

The last two summers have hit the Wells Gray park area hard for fire evacuation notices, and tourists not being able to access the park.

In response to the wildfire season, local residents in the area banded together to be trained in fire suppression, create a fire crew, and raise money to purchase fire trucks.

What has now become the Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade hopes to not only continue their fire protection efforts, but better their resources with more equipment.

Before the group formed, Fire Chief Steve Murray says the community relied on initial attack crews, and forestry if the fire is big enough.

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“So community recognized the fact that we have little to no protection basically,” He says, “I’m a government registered trainer. So I trained people in basic firefighting- which is the S100. Then we went to the 185, which is fire entrapment. I have roughly 20 people trained here in that, both men and women.”

After getting trained up, the new firefighters began fundraising to purchase equipment for the grassroots initiative. The Upper Clearwater Volunteer Fire Brigade managed to raise enough through the help of local businesses, the community, and members to purchase two trucks at auction.

“We strictly do wildfire. I want to make that very clear. We’re not a structural fire group,” Murray explains, “So we can protect people’s houses, but we’re not equipped nor trained to enter a house if there is a fire inside. We can only deal with the outside.”

This year, the group is trying to raise money for more equipment.

“The fire protection suits that people wear are quite expensive,” He says, “It’s critical that we have them because it’s just so dangerous for people on the fire line.” Murray says radios are costly as well, and they don’t have enough for the entire crew- which means people have to share when they’re on a fire scene.

To bring in funds, the non-profit is holding a raffle, and have a number of prizes to be won with ticket purchases. The prizes have been donated by local businesses, and WestJet, for the benefit of the firefighters.

• 1st Prize – A trip for 2 anywhere in the world WestJet flies along with a $250 voucher
• 2nd Prize – Explore Wells Gray Park- A two-night stay for 2 at “Across Creek Cabins” for 2 people. A full day boat tour with Clearwater Lake tours to Rainbow Falls, Dinner & dessert for 2 at Hop n Hog and a 2 person horseback ride
• 3rd Prize- Two-night stay and play at Wells Gray Golf course

Tickets cost $5.00, and can be purchased via e-transfer to firetickets2019@gmail.com, and at Rockin Firkin.

The prizes will be drawn October 14, 2019, and for information about the tickets, see the flyer below.

(Image Courtesy of Upper Clearwater Fire Brigade)