Safe and sound...

Many thanks for all the emails and phone calls....we are safely out of harms way in Carr's Landing, in fact we were watching the Terrace Mountain fire from the balcony

Have some great photos but will have to wait for M&D to download them from their camera when they get home as they were quicker of the David Bailey mark than we were....must be one of the first time wine boxes have been known to IMPROVE reaction speeds!

Also, thanks for the all suggestions on fire starting - from Shaun's electrical work (definately possibility as he shot across the room at the weekend whilst rewiring the kitchen lights) to my cooking (hmmm....).

Still it has been a salutory lesson in to just how dry and hot it gets here...house now insured up to its armpits and we are off to buy a fireproof safe at the weekend.

But the organization here has been amazing - the 10,000+ people affected are about 40 mins to the south of us on the other side of the lake and all seemed to have been evacuted at about 3am and still remain positive. Help is pouring in and all the businesses in town are offering support. Plus given the size and scope of the fires the fact that only 3 houses have been lost is amazing and a testament to the fire crews - most of whom are volunteers.

A small fire started nearer Kelowna during the weekend and before it got to 70m wide 5 HUGE bombers flew over and saturated the whole area in red gloopy gell - no chance of that one springing up.

The winds have died down since the weekend when they were quite ferocious so they seem to be getting it under control and they have infra-red camera flights to spot any hotspots during the night to prevent it flaring up again.

We have BBC World and it is quite surreal to see your new home town on the old home's national news!

But once again, thank you for all the best wishes and messages....S & T, G & A....don't worry the wine is safe!

hugs
Cara, Shaun, Dad, Mum & Otter