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CNN Sunday Morning
Fires Devastate British Columbia
Aired August 03, 2003 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin in Western Canada, where tens of thousands are on the run from fast spreading wildfires. It is the worst outbreak in half a century in British Columbia, where dozens of homes and businesses have been destroyed. All of the province is now under a state of emergency.
Reporter Mike Chisholm with CTV gives us a look at one of the hardest hit areas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHISHOLM, CTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was once a beautiful home, surrounded by tall pine trees on a ridge overlooking Barrier. Now totally destroyed by a firestorm, which swept through here Friday.
There's little left, but a chimneystack and a burned bicycle, and there was nothing anyone could do.
Twenty-five homes and four businesses in this area are gone, razed by a raging forest fire that continues to burn in the neighboring mountains.
At the Smith sawmill in Barrier, two brothers who refused to leave, vowing to save their family business, their property, and 100 jobs.
TED SMITH, SAWMILL OWNER: We were told to evacuate and we refused to leave, and we've been getting, you might say, harassed to try and kick us out but we want to try and save our property here.
CHISHOLM: Throughout the yard water pumped from the river is spraying down lumber, desperate measures to save the town's only remaining large employer.
Down the road from the Smiths, a much sadder scene: the smoldering remains of a larger sawmill, the town's main employer now reduced to heaps of twisted metal, burned logs and cinders.
KEN MACAULAY, SAWMILLE EMPLOYEE: We've been working for three days to try to prevent this from happening, so to have it happen is just disastrous.
CHISHOLM: Elsewhere in town, air tankers and ground crews are trying to save other buildings. The forest fire surrounds Barrier. On all sides fire threatens to engulf this town amid unpredictable winds.
Fire is sweeping up and down the Thompson River valley, destroying everything in its path.
(on camera) This is the North Thompson Indian band reserve just south of Barrier. Two days ago there were seven homes here. Today, five have been completely destroyed by fire, along with almost a dozen vehicles.
(voice-over) Barrier, along with most other communities, has been evacuated. Few people know if they still have a home or when they can return to what for many will be scenes of incredible heartbreak.
Mike Chisholm, CTV News, near Barrier, B.C.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: And the western U.S. wildfires are spreading in several states. One of the biggest blazes is in Montana.
Fire fighters appear to have turned the corner in their battle against this blaze near Glacier National Park. And some people evacuated could get the go ahead to return home later on today. Concern has now shifted to another major fire along the park's western border.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 3, 2003 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin in Western Canada, where tens of thousands are on the run from fast spreading wildfires. It is the worst outbreak in half a century in British Columbia, where dozens of homes and businesses have been destroyed. All of the province is now under a state of emergency.
Reporter Mike Chisholm with CTV gives us a look at one of the hardest hit areas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHISHOLM, CTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was once a beautiful home, surrounded by tall pine trees on a ridge overlooking Barrier. Now totally destroyed by a firestorm, which swept through here Friday.
There's little left, but a chimneystack and a burned bicycle, and there was nothing anyone could do.
Twenty-five homes and four businesses in this area are gone, razed by a raging forest fire that continues to burn in the neighboring mountains.
At the Smith sawmill in Barrier, two brothers who refused to leave, vowing to save their family business, their property, and 100 jobs.
TED SMITH, SAWMILL OWNER: We were told to evacuate and we refused to leave, and we've been getting, you might say, harassed to try and kick us out but we want to try and save our property here.
CHISHOLM: Throughout the yard water pumped from the river is spraying down lumber, desperate measures to save the town's only remaining large employer.
Down the road from the Smiths, a much sadder scene: the smoldering remains of a larger sawmill, the town's main employer now reduced to heaps of twisted metal, burned logs and cinders.
KEN MACAULAY, SAWMILLE EMPLOYEE: We've been working for three days to try to prevent this from happening, so to have it happen is just disastrous.
CHISHOLM: Elsewhere in town, air tankers and ground crews are trying to save other buildings. The forest fire surrounds Barrier. On all sides fire threatens to engulf this town amid unpredictable winds.
Fire is sweeping up and down the Thompson River valley, destroying everything in its path.
(on camera) This is the North Thompson Indian band reserve just south of Barrier. Two days ago there were seven homes here. Today, five have been completely destroyed by fire, along with almost a dozen vehicles.
(voice-over) Barrier, along with most other communities, has been evacuated. Few people know if they still have a home or when they can return to what for many will be scenes of incredible heartbreak.
Mike Chisholm, CTV News, near Barrier, B.C.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: And the western U.S. wildfires are spreading in several states. One of the biggest blazes is in Montana.
Fire fighters appear to have turned the corner in their battle against this blaze near Glacier National Park. And some people evacuated could get the go ahead to return home later on today. Concern has now shifted to another major fire along the park's western border.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
