Wild at Heart Episode 2: Touring British Columbia: Boston Bar to Clinton

We had just arrived at the Canyon Alpine RV Park near Boston Bar in the Fraser Canyon in British Columbia. You had met Ross and Sarah, friends of ours who were traveling with us in their 1987 Volkswagen Westphalia, and you met Alicia who was operating the park. But now it was time to leave. Okay love we're leaving. Okay thank you. Okay let's go pull the tanks. So thank goodness we had an extension to the sewer line. We're just going to pull the black first. There she blows. We'll let that drain for a bit and then we will pull the the grey which is on the right hand side. Bob's uncle. Yes one of the hottest spots in British Columbia to drain. So this is the bench I believe that was wiped out. Everything along this bench. Yeah love it's all new. The fire started at the south end I think and whipped up with high winds and just wiped this entire. On June 30th 2021, after days of record shattering heat, Lytton hit 49.6 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada. A wildfire tore through the village in just 26 minutes, destroying about 90 percent of the town and tragically claiming two lives. The fire was so fast and fierce that residents barely had time to grab their essentials before evacuating. Propane tanks exploded, winds whipped flame through buildings and the entire downtown core was reduced to ash. The cause was likely human related though it's still officially undetermined. But one theory is that a train rounding this particular curve heading north created sparks that ignited the really dry grasses in the area and the winds did the rest. But that's just a theory. Nearly four years later the recovery has been painfully slow. Apparently only 11 homes are currently occupied and a handful of businesses are just beginning to return. And I know this is but one story of a town that's been taken by wildfire and lives have been lost. But whatever way you look at it, it's devastating and it's sad. Now on a more positive note, look at this area. Look at the Fraser River. This is a really dramatic place and it's pretty exciting. Let's go further up river where we've heard that we can take a ferry across. So Sarah is taking us to an cable ferry across the Fraser River. Now Sarah wants us to go across on this contraption. Apparently it uses just the power of the water to get across. There's no engine. It's just simply using the the current. I'm feeling quite like a tourist here. Hi kids. Hi honey, how's the back seat doing? I don't know about this. Oh it feels sketchy. Is it by donation only or what? This is part of the BC highway system. I love it. Free of charge. Okay I guess I could turn my engine. That's what you get for being a social socialistic province, right? I love it. Do you mind being in the picture? It's okay? You're just using the angle. Okay. That was so much fun. Little finds, there we go. Oh yeah, I forgot this is the place with the, they have a food truck that does fish and chips. He used to be a commercial fisherman and he does fish and chips and you can pre-order. I don't know if it has to be pre-ordered. It's right down there. You can either stop tomorrow on the way or whatever. Okay. Please check in. Where's Dana? Over there. Let's say just get clear. Let me go in. Oh there's a map. Oh I think maybe this little truck takes us there. Oh there's somebody right there. Oh hello. Where's the hookups? Oh oh isn't that interesting. Look at Boogie. Hi there sweetheart. I think for one later. Oh thanks a lot. You're welcome. See you later. Promise not to put the, I'll put the litter in the garbage. Look at her, she's perfectly level. Right in the middle. Really? Right dead in the middle. Just to touch them right? Just to just do exactly what they're meant for. Stabilize. I'm sorry honey we're too busy eating. Yeah we're eating. It's like you know.