Firefighters spent more than 12 hours battling a blaze at the Elite Forest Products mill in Malakwa on Thursday.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 big,害羞草研究所� said an exhausted Sean Coubrough, Columbia Shuswap Regional District fire services co-ordinator, attempting to estimate the size of the structure fire at the mill he and Malakwa, Swansea Point and Sicamous fire crews spent the day getting under control. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 bigger than I害羞草研究所檓 used to estimating害羞草研究所� I害羞草研究所檇 say it looks like two football fields in length and maybe one of them burned.害羞草研究所�

Coubrough said firefighters were paged around 5:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 9, and Malakwa firefighters were first on scene at the mill, located off Lybarger Road.

害羞草研究所淲hen we arrived on scene害羞草研究所� we had quite a large building partially involved, with flames showing and smoke showing害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Coubrough. 害羞草研究所淚t was venting through the roof with heavy black, thick smoke.害羞草研究所�

Coubrough said it was quickly learned the mill wasn害羞草研究所檛 operational, and there was no else onsite, leaving firefighters to focus their effort on a defensive attack of the exterior.

害羞草研究所淲e were not going inside the building 害羞草研究所� by the time we had arrived, the structure was compromised to a degree that it was not safe for us to put crews inside害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Coubrough. 害羞草研究所淲e called it, 害羞草研究所榟it it hard from the yard害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克�� Preventing the spread was our number one priority.害羞草研究所�

Coubrough said there were some issues with access, as the roads into the mill hadn害羞草研究所檛 been plowed and were tricky to navigate. Also, a fire control system onsite was not operational, meaning water had to be hauled to the scene.

害羞草研究所淲e were forced to do shuttle runs with our tenders, running back and forth grabbing water, dumping it into a bladder and then sucking it up into the trucks,害羞草研究所� explained Coubrough. 害羞草研究所淭here were some concerns with getting water, but once things were set up it was working pretty well.害羞草研究所�

The attack continued throughout the day. At about 4:30 p.m., Coubrough said the fire was under control and crews were in the mop-up stage.

害羞草研究所淭he fact it害羞草研究所檚 structurally compromised, we won害羞草研究所檛 be putting crews in to do a proper structural overhaul, we have to do it from the outside,害羞草研究所� said Coubrough. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to leave a few hotspots, but nothing to worry about at this point in time. The manager of the mill will be put on a fire watch, that means we害羞草研究所檙e asking him once every hour to take a look around and if he does notice it start spreading, he can give 911 call and get us back out here.害羞草研究所�

Despite the size and intensity of the blaze, Coubrough said firefighters were still able to save half the structure and some heavy equipment within.

害羞草研究所淎bout half of the building we were able to save, which, considering the extent of the fire when our crews arrived on scene is no small feat,害羞草研究所� said Coubrough, adding the site害羞草研究所檚 manager, Ray Hansen, seemed pleased, having expected a complete loss.

A smaller structure at the Elite Forest Products mill caught fire in 2015.