Thread by @erin_momo

158 acres of our 160 acre property burned to a crisp in the #mckaycreekwildfire last week. Our house and immediate yard just barely (and luckily!) survived. Many factors were beyond our control, but some things we did likely helped save what did survive. #BCWildfires #bcwildfire

We had just over 30 hours between when the fire started and when it reached our house. There was no evacuation order or alert, even after our place was burned… but none was really necessary, we could see it coming!

As soon as we saw the smoke plume (~20km away), we got to work:

1) we weed whacked/ mowed everything around the house down super short
2) we set up irrigation all around the house and on the roof - we aren’t a ranch, so it was literally garden hoses and hose sprinklers
3) we moved all fuels (propane, gas) away from the house area

4) we moved wood and dry materials away from the house, and moved all random clutter inside (the fires send out all manner of projectiles that can light things up)
5) we packed up our most valuable/ cherished things and moved the vehicles to the front gate - just in case

6) we cemented our escape plan: if/ when/ how we’d leave. We decided we’d flee if fire was on three sides of us, if either of us wanted to go (no questions asked), or if our water stopped flowing.

We regularly limb trees of any branches within a couple metres of the ground.

While running around madly trying to prep things, we found ourselves wishing we had:
• better prioritized burning yard waste last winter,
• taken our latest load to the dump,
And
• written prioritized lists of things to take in case of evacuation (too many decisions!)

The fire was most intense in the creek just down from our house, where the large trees really roared. Seeing the fire explode through the area so close to the house was when the garden hoses in our hands really started to feel outmatched and we fled.

In the end, we got lucky (which is a funny thing to say after losing 99% of your property). We’re fortunate that our house isn’t situated closer to the densely treed creek, though our long water line was a liability (it held on *just* long enough before melting).

As we fled, we thought our place was doomed. We’ve been getting messages from folks asking what we did to “save our house,” but a lot was just luck (good and bad). The view is different, but we’re thankful we have a place to lay our heads unlike so many. Take care out there.

For those asking: even though we weren’t sure if it would be necessary, my sister insisted she come pick up our goats and dog in Clinton that morning. We had to leave our ducks and chickens, but their coop is buried in the hillside and they survived!