Smouldering Memories...			...of the "Swiss Fire"
			by Debi Osborne

Although it happened years ago, the great Swiss Fire, that blazed out of control May 29, 1983, is still touted as one of the "...most serious fires in B.C. history". By the time it was brought under control, the whirling 100 metre flames had charred 18,200 hectares of prime spruce and pine timber and destroyed the residences of six unfortunate families. It was an "accident" that left lingering scars still visible to this day.

use BACK button to return The Swiss Fire (photo courtesy of Marlene Lewis)

There are a few, slightly different versions of the story, but everyone does seem to agree there had been two Swiss tourists at Parrott Lake (SW of Houston) fishing for trout on that fateful Sunday. A makeshift smokehouse was built to cure their catch and it was flames from this that eventually turned a 140 million dollars worth of timber into smoke and ash. Flames reportedly "exploded" from the smokehouse, igniting the tinder-dry ground beside it.

use BACK button to return Fire ravaged area still visible today

Although quick to run for buckets of water, the tourists could not stop the flames from racing toward the trees. The time was approximately 1:15 P.M. The fire was now jumping rapidly from tree to tree. It would be another hour before the Swiss visitors managed to pack up and report their mishap to a Forestry officer. During that time, the fire continued to build in strength and intensity.