The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-08-06
100 DIE in
FOREST FIRE
VAST AREA IN THE KOOTEN-
AY VALLEY CANADA, is
DEVASTATED BY SEA
OF FLAME-THOUS-
ANDS ARE HOME
LESS.

More than 100 lives are known to
have been lost as the result of bush
fires, which have swept over an area
of one hundred square miles in the
east Kootenay country, near Winni-
peg, Manitoba. Whole cities and
towns have been laid low and the
flames are spreading throughout other
|places. Already the loss in property
is estimated at more than $4,000, 900,
and this may be swelled enormously
before the fire burns itself out
|. The city of Fernie, B. c., a place
of 5000 population, is wiped off the
map; Michel, fourteen miles distant
is in flames, and the fate OF Hosmer,
Olsen and Spsrwood, int -vening
towns, is In doubt, they being cut off
from all communication OF the over
100 lives known to have been lost
seventy-four of them were in Fernie
A territory of 100 square miles in
extent is now a seething mass of
flames Through it are scattered
hundreds of lumoermen and prospec-
tors, so that the actual loss of life
will not be known for days.
The properties of the Canadian Pa
cific and Great Northern railways are
destroyed, the bridges and rolling
stock burned, and it is impossible to
enter or leave the burning area.
The inhabitants of the town have
fled to open districts in the vicinity in
the hope OF safety.
There is no possibility of estimat
ing the loss of life and property
which will result, for the flames are
driven by half gale, making it inn
possible to put up a fight against
their advance The conhagration is
the greatest which has ever visited
| Canada.
| For the last month forest fires
have been raging in the mountains of
the Elk River Valley country, but
they have not been considered ser-
ously Saturday morning a heavy
wind sprung up from the west, and
early in the afternoon the flames ap-
Ipeared over the crest OF the noun
tains to- the west of Fernie. They
ran down the mountain side and be-
fore a fire guard could be organized
had entered the town. Within an
hour the town was doomed, and the
inhabitants sought safety in fight
leaving their all behind them
All night and Sunday morning the
exodus continued, the destination be-
ing a small prairie in the valley three
miles south of the town. At present
5000 peoo.e are camped there in the
Iopen, their only protection being
shelters built of brush or blankets
while constantly shower OF spark:
from the burning area kept falling
through the pail OF smoke by which
they are surrounded.
For a time communication with
towns to the east was kept open, bu
with the burning of the bridge:
across the Elk River this was closed
Scattered through the valley are
many small prairies, and all of thes,
have their groups of refugees.
The hills in all directions are Z
seething mass of flames. Cutting of
every avenue of escape the fire spread
with unprecedented rapidit and 1t il
feared that several parties who triee
to get through the pass have beer
cut off. Families have been separat
ed and there is at present no mean.
of checking up the fatalities.
AT present the fire is following TIL,
crest of the mountain chain above
Suarwood, eating down into the val
legs on either side 1t is travelling
at tremendous rate There are
thousands of mines and prospectors
claims in the track of the fire, all o.
which are in peril. A slight change
of wind has occurred and Michel ha.
been taken out of the NOSE direc
path.
Fire fighting apparatus is of nc
avail, for the air is filled with frag
kments of burning wood and sheets o.
fame seem to leap ahead of the con
flagration, as if the air itself were
in flames The heat is intense anc
many of the fire fighters have gone
down ahead of it.