Family of 6 flees Boston Bar fires with 15 pets in tow

When Brittany Alenius, her husband and their four children were told to evacuate, their prized possessions were packed up and ready to go. But the trickiest part was making space in the car for three dogs, six cats, two snakes, an iguana and three birds.

Family of 6 flees Boston Bar fires with 15 pets in tow It was 'a bit of an operation' getting everyone into the car, Brittany Alenius says Being evacuated from a wildfire zone is a stressful experience for any family to go through, but imagine trying to do it with 15 pets. Ten days ago, Brittany Alenius and her husband left their home in the small B.C. town of Boston Bar with their cars packed to capacity; The occupants included four children, three dogs, six cats, two snakes, an iguana and three birds.

“It was a bit of an operation,” Alenius told CBC News. “We were incredibly fortunate to have some lead time." Finding a place to stay wasn’t easy — the first few days were spent in a friend’s basement suite.

Then, in a show of community spirit, the owners of a nearby short-term rental that normally doesn’t allow pets agreed to make an exception. “They were really sympathetic and understanding, they’ve just been incredible,” Alenius said. The family only moved into their Boston Bar home in October, and while they knew fires in the area were a possibility, they didn’t expect to have to contend with one so soon.

While evacuated, they’ve been keeping an eye on it using security cameras. Alenius said the small town was staying connected online and stepping in to provide help where needed. “Down at the evacuation centre at Shxwhá:y Village ... we have people who don't have vehicles, seniors who don't have cell phones or online banking."

She said people had been checking on each other’s homes, helping look for missing pets, and donating supplies to one another. “We moved here because that's the kind of community we were looking for. And so, although this has been an incredibly stressful time, it really has driven home exactly why we chose Boston Bar.”

BCWS says fires will continue to grow A smattering of rain across the Fraser Valley on Thursday night did little to slow the Boston Bar and Ainslie Creek fires, known as the Brunswick complex. Gusty winds caused both fires to grow in size, but on Friday afternoon Fire Information Officer Julia Caranci said the increase wasn't substantial. "We have a couple of days of just slightly cooler temperatures [ahead], a little bit higher relative humidity, and then probably a return back to hot and dry," she told CBC News.

"So what that means is that we can expect growth on those wildfires. "Additionally, our forest fuels are extremely dry right now, particularly in that Fraser Canyon area, so we have some challenges ahead." About 300 firefighters, more than 80 structure protection personnel and 20 firefighting aircraft are operating 24 hours a day to bring the fire under control.

With files from Wildinette Paul