2 Castlegar News, Sept. 28, 1967 gulliige vy 1925-Like 1967-Was Year| Of Raging Forest Fires The ‘fire ‘burned ‘to: within By Harold Webber Sat., July, 25, 1925 aw an electrical storm. brewing in. the Robson-Castlegar: area: |About seven’‘o'clock in the a short distance of the railroad station. in‘’ Castlegar. oe CPR, fearful: ‘of loss;:moved all ‘thelr.| rolling stock ‘out of the ‘danger area. ’ built back-fires "The fo ° fire: | along the West’ onaca road ‘and| | along ‘the: bottom ‘of ‘the’ hill: be- Ranch ‘in‘an|:, West Robson ‘side above the old Westley site.. Two more’ strikes hind: the ' Castle-B: thi followed quickly in the ~ same! area. - H.R. Foxlee,'a Jongtime Rob: son resident now living: in Trail, dance ‘of ‘fire super: witnessed the ‘strikes < and‘'im-. intenden :Mare: Dumont. © ‘As the fire was ap) oaching mediately. telephoned: Char! Nichols, the. district Forest: Ran- orem whe had also: witnessed ‘the fang cracls Nichols‘quick- iy dispe hed men to, handle the ensuing blaze. “Tl was sitting - jlooking. ou out the window when: the ‘firs struck, it must have: hit'a : ant dead ‘bull ‘pine,” ‘described Foxlee Mcansin ‘it to Seplode in in: to ‘a ‘shower. of ‘dust: and‘:bran- Kinnaird, several: es’-who. ‘had’ homes on the hillside:above the 'town'-were moving: their‘pos- sessions down: to) the:river bank One: of: these: families; the ‘Kil loughs ° of pioneering: and: for- ears ‘the: JODE ‘Spon red a May Day Celebration and. Queen Con test ‘fame, : battled: ‘against : ‘the | § rotect their home; ‘Three frie! ches.”’ This resulted in‘ a iriver: of,|; flames rolling down ‘the moun- tainside. ‘The next day Frank Quanee, built tb: a bookkeeper at ‘Waldies’: ‘saw- mill and four men climbed: the hillside and put out the East Robson fire in quick order. The crew at West Oban built guards around the fire, which was not easily accessible due to gullies and crevices. It was thou- | © ght that the fire would self out in a short time. was, circumstances did not agree with this thought. On the following Wednesday a wind from the west developed ‘into gale force and fanned the almost dead fire into’ renewed life. The flames spread quickly and ‘soon engulfe hillside above Westley. It then’ started | ‘ its rush toward Castlegar. Mr. Foxlee described the: fire. as resembling .a roaring | Pr waterfall. “It was a omen lhe terrifying ig. noise,” he. reflected. The spread as if being push- an invisible hand, :travel- ling from Westley to Kinnaird in the ‘same: day. East; Robson |f red hot cinders were cascading around the homes, causing greai concern ‘to the residents: .A woman: residing at: Rob-|ed Kk: bent but .a certain party, believing in' their value, ‘was ‘en- |i deavoring to put them out with |ff 2 sshovel: as fast as the Killoughs id -light.:them:: ‘These “back: it fires plus a God given change in e wind; drove back. the ‘fire, saved...their homestead and’..a good Fortion: of the countryside as we! The fire was brought under control after. two weeks, but con- . Son, who along with ‘her mother |: had :been trapped ‘in ‘the . great: 7508, suffered such é ‘Fernie fire of 1 a case of shock at witnessin; “local fire that she re eed ee sev-: -eral. weeks. of hospi tion to- overcome the experience. far as- the ; sme bordering ; their Property. - 100 YEARS OF PROGRESS Rick’s TV& Records w Up | until 1936: ‘the: limited ing installed a poyon these pound. and TL. Bloom . ectors. | number. of people ‘living in Cas-|‘aric | Seeely depende for :their- water ce 2A few. lucky people near. thel CPR: station:.were ‘supplied with nee usta this | water* by the ‘railway. company R. Hopper, 8 feels for _domestic:use only. ;} and: R.- ‘was not permitt-| ; Sprinkling ed.as. the railway had only. a 5 [iimitea ‘supply. atits disp oe’, water company.’had-22 custome vhen. By? nd! ad grown to 68 and} 39 ‘there ‘were “An ‘immediate: result of the or, sanized | -water service: was'a|} - "But services were soon os E. MeGauley, ) In‘ 1948 the; ‘Village of Castle- i gar purchased ‘the system which. zi pad grown. to: 300. Seated reasurer; ed’ ahead 'so it‘is now. one ‘of the p Watt tops ! in-B.C: : of ane tere minded (people formed’ the: hosted ‘Offi many parts: ot ‘the: orld: hearing the..stamp on . the: first ‘day ‘of issue. as “collectors qitems. 0425 The club: has each: year pur- nt “Scot otts Stamp for’ ofits Eu) Many. very. Aiteresting tals along ‘with displays; of stamps ‘ nembers:and visi- hotel ito "vanced collector’ alike:: ‘The: re- sult has