Disaster (averted)

Sorry this is long but I wanted to record how this event unfolded( and never to repeat it. )  the  short version if you don't want to read:    there was a forest  fire but all is well now

We were thinking about getting ready for bed last night at 9:30 when the lights went out.   Groan.  Power outage.  A beautiful calm night, no wind. Big moon.  Checked the map for outages and didn’t see any so called BC hydro to report it (now there is a big long phone tree to even get to outages) …. the first person said “Parker Island..do you use private services?”   Nope, you’ve been here many times.”  OK, got put on hold and reported to the next person who said there had been an outage that was back on…but ours was not.  he’d call back.   He did but my phone wouldn’t ring,  (Not sure why..focus something?.it did not say do not disturb.) so I got 2 messages, the first that ours should be back on.   the 2nd saying that yes he could see ours was not back up and they would send a boat.   After getting the generator and plugging in the refrigerator, H went up our power line to try to see where the problem might be…just north of our top power pole of 5.)….he got so far ..around 10:15PM   and saw 10-15 ft flames in an area of maybe 20x30ft.!!  and a smallish tree on the line, on fire!   ( sparks and crackles from the electric line)    So back he comes to try the Galiano Fire department.  (No help)  and have me phone the fire urgency in to BC hydro, as he grabs a searchlight, a rake and a fire extinguisher.(Lot of good that would do., but it did great on a few inches!),)  and calls me at 10:45 to explain where it is. The area has tripled in 1/2 hour to 30x50ft(?) and the flames at their worst were 30 ft high.  In the meantime I’ve called a neighbor who has called several more neighbors so soon after 10:45 they started arriving …they can drive cars to this spot so could carry water in trucks.  Several chainsaws went to work cutting the now burning trees down, and many rakes to rake the embers inward to sprinkle with water.  A hot job!    I am pacing at the cabin watching big red flames up the power line,, maybe 1/4 mile away.   I think the BC hydro boat arrives from Saltspring Island a bit after 11:00 with only 2 guys that showed up( takes 3 to replace the line since one has to climb the pole, but think the fire took priority !)  ..they can drive up from their dock near ours. . With some water.    Thank heavens there are pioneer sorts on this island that knew what to do…they got it under control maybe 12:00 and I was very relieved to see the redness fade.  Talk about community coming to the rescue!   Quickly.
It was all very hot and took a long time to extinguish.    H stumbled down our trail, barely findable,  in the dark (with his headlamp)  around 1:00am.  Not sure how long the rest were there.   The picture is from this morning…the site from above..the smallish tree in front of the standing  burned  fir, was the one that brought the line down between the pole below and the one behind me. …more burned wood off to the right that you can’t see here.   the extra shows some of the fire and the BC Wildfire folks

Very sobering and downright scary.  If we hadn’t been here to notice, no one could see the fire from where it was on the hill.   NO nearby neighbors were here, but they wouldn’t have seen it anyway and no one else’s power was out. …it would have gotten huge before it was spotted.   found out today someone on Galiano reported smoke on Parker to BC wildfires but nothing was done...not enough info.
No way could we carry water up this hill. 

BC hydro didn’t come back to fix the line this morning.   I phoned after lunch and they said they were on their way.  But instead a boat with 4 BC Wildfire people came at 2:00…a routine,,,they check for hotspots and make reports.   They dig their bare hands in the ash to feel for hot spots.   One of the volunteer firefighting newer neighbors and his wife who was helping last night were there with them (and we got to meet for the first time!) .  He had some fire photos because of course neither H or I had the presence of mind to take those.   Learned that a big help was other neighbors who brought a big full rain barrel in their truck to the top of the hill and then a hose gravity filled the waterpacks etc. 

Our power not back on til 6:45.PM   a long time for them.  think because of the wildfire people had to pronounce it OUT.    Im afraid they will have much bigger jobs this summer. (where they only "spot check" the hot spots...)

Is this a "sign" for us?????