Meadow Valley resident stayed to save his home from wildfire: ‘This is my life’
The Bald Range wildfire broke out near Summerland last Friday evening. Meadow Valley resident Tyler Wall said he knew he wasn't going to leave his home and business.
When the Bald Range wildfire broke out last Friday, Tyler Wall of Meadow Valley, B.C., refused to abandon his home. Wall explained to Global News, "We thought it was just like a big storm cloud or sheet, at least," before realizing the extent of the fire. He described the rapid spread of the blaze from one peak to another on Saturday morning.
Wall acted swiftly, departing the property and commencing road clearance to facilitate others' evacuation, citing the accumulation of debris on the road. Additional assistance arrived from a local, equipped with a mini excavator and loader, clearing the path further for residents to flee. Despite the chaos, Wall remained steadfast in his decision not to leave, stating, "I've invested too much and I get that some people might see that as well, you're being stupid and you know you're putting your life at risk, but this is my life out here.
Everything I've worked for is out here." He and others who chose to stay also contributed to the firefighting efforts, utilizing their firefighting experience to protect several homes. Two local firefighters, armed with firefighting expertise, were integral to the operation, effectively combating the fire. Wall praised their actions, noting the commendable job executed by all involved firefighters.
The Wall family had never before encountered such a massive fire, and Wall admitted to being overwhelmed by the experience, remarking, "I'm a young guy; I'm 25. I've obviously never seen anything like this in my life."
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
