scene at the plant, which is north of Swan Lake. According to witnesses, the fire started at the plant's sawdust pile sometime between 2 and 3 p.m. The wind then blew the flames into a nearby log pile, which is around 40 feet high and 20 metres long. The plant's mill, which is south of the fire, has not been affected. The wind is blowing hard from the south, which is keeping the fire away from the mill and auction. More information as it becomes available.-------------
Updated: July 11, 2010 5:16 PM
A sawdust and log pile are on fire at the Armstrong Tolko Industries plant. Fire crews from the Enderby and Silverstar departments are on scene at the plant, which is around 15 kilometres north of Vernon beside Highway 97A. A helicopter and air tanker are also on scene. According to the Vernon fire department, the fire started at the plant's sawdust pile around 2:41 p.m. The wind then blew the flames into a nearby log pile, which is around 40 feet high and 20 metres long, said a witness. The plant's mill, which is south of the fire, has not been affected. It has been reported the wind is blowing hard from the south, which is keeping the fire away from the mill and auction. Vernon fire department Captain Paul Pshyk said there is a great deal of smoke being directed into the nearby trailer park, and it is possible the park is being evacuated.An area of Highway 97 near the plant has been closed.
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100 homes evacuated after Armstrong sawmill catches fire Andrea Woo, Vancouver Sun
VANCOUVER - At least 100 homes were evacuated Sunday after a large fire started in a hog fuel pile at a Tolko sawmill in Armstrong. The B.C. Ministry of Forests was called around 3 p.m. Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper said he saw a plume of smoke around 4 p.m. and drove to the scene. “It was a big fire,” Pieper said. “It’s not a little fire. The hog fuel pile — the bark debris from the barking operations — that was what was on fire. There were some logs from the log yard on fire as well. I didn’t see any buildings on fire.” The flames spread into several spot fires, but the smaller ones were quickly extinguished, said Brent Watson, emergency management coordinator for Vernon Fire Rescue Services. RCMP evacuated one trailer park on Highway 97A in the late afternoon and closed a five-kilometre section of the highway in both directions. By early evening, the evacuation had expanded to five trailer parks, totalling about 100 homes, said Watson. The Ministry of Forests was on the scene with 11 firefighters, two helicopters and fixed-wing air tankers. The RCMP and firefighters from surrounding detachments, including Vernon, Swan Lake and Enderby, also battled the blaze. An emergency centre was set up at Spallumcheen municipal hall. The fire was contained but still burning at press time and fire crews were expected to stay on the scene throughout the night, said Watson.Canadian-owned Tolko Industries Ltd. is a major producer of lumber, veneer, plywood, oriented strand board and kraft papers.
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