As wildfire evacuees in Kelowna wait for word on whether they have a home to return to, they recall the harried moments before leaving their houses.
Every few minutes the fire seemed to grow with the whipping winds.She started getting text messages from friends, insisting she leave just to be safe. At about midnight she started packing.In her bag was a winter coat, a dress she had for a wedding she planned to attend, admitting that in the confusion of the moment, "what I packed was just ridiculous.''
Denise Kenney, a professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, said she and her family were caught off guard before having to flee their home in McKinley Landing. Their home wasn't on evacuation alert or an order at the time, but a text from a friend alerted her that the fire had spread and was now threatening their neighbourhood.
Kenney said she's made it a habit to bring important documents from home to her office at the university at the beginning of every summer in anticipation of wildfire season. Living in Kelowna for more than 15 years has made her grapple with an ever-present contradiction.
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