By:Jessica Wallace
Kamloops This Week
A Kamloops couple that helped douse a grass fire before it spread on Shuswap Road was in the right place at the right time with the right boat.
Engaged couple Tasha Hunt, 33, and Koyne Watson, 43, is being heralded a hero after co-piloting their 1987 Eliminator Scorpion jet boat on the South Thompson River on Saturday to help Kamloops Fire Rescue douse flames of a grass fire that sparked on Shuswap Road. The couple had been taking their boat for a test drive on the water at about 4 p.m. when they saw smoke.
害羞草研究所淲e saw it smouldering and we thought, 害羞草研究所極h my god, there害羞草研究所檚 a fire!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Hunt told KTW in an interview. 害羞草研究所淪o we phoned it in and we headed over there. The flames had taken off. We spun the boat around. He [Watson] just started making passes. He was going around and around. He said, 害羞草研究所極h my god, am I getting it?害羞草研究所� I said, 害羞草研究所楰oyne! You害羞草研究所檙e putting out the flames!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
The couple did about eight loops, overheating and damaging their boat engine after hitting the gas and shooting river water onto the flames. Sometimes they missed, but other shots were a direct hit.
害羞草研究所淲e probably did it about eight times,害羞草研究所� Hunt said. 害羞草研究所淏ut I think we probably only did about four or five direct hits.害羞草研究所�
Other boaters watched and filmed the action. The following Facebook video shot from a nearby boat has more than 100,000 views and has been shared almost 2,000 times.
Those who have commented on the video are calling the feat brilliant, impressive and quick-thinking.
害羞草研究所淲homever you are, you are my hero,害羞草研究所� wrote one commenter.
Watson is owner of Cobra Heavy Iron excavating company and Hunt is a hair stylist at Ardeo Spa Salon. Watson lent a hand battling the historic regional blazes of 2003 害羞草研究所� but has never doused flames from the water.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 a smart-thinking man, I tell you,害羞草研究所� Hunt said. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 quick on his feet. I would have never thought of that.害羞草研究所�
Watson focused on driving, while Hunt navigated.
害羞草研究所淲e are always co-piloting,害羞草研究所� Watson said.
Other boaters cheered from their vessels on the river. A nearby pontoon boat filled with kids calling Watson a 害羞草研究所渉ero害羞草研究所� could not have performed the feat of the couple害羞草研究所檚 jet boat, known for its speed and equipped with a 555 engine and 8-71 blower.
害羞草研究所淚 can shoot water up in the air,害羞草研究所� Watson said.
Kamloops Fire Rescue platoon captain David Ferguson said crews, with assistance from a forestry helicopter, arrived on scene after the call. The fire temporarily closed Shuswap Road in both directions, but the grass fire was extinguished quickly.
While Ferguson was not at the scene, he said fires in these hot and dry conditions move quickly and any help 害羞草研究所� when it is safe to do so 害羞草研究所� can prevent fires from spreading before crews can arrive on scene.
害羞草研究所淎s long as you害羞草研究所檙e not endangering people on the water, any chance we can get to help keep the fire from progressing helps,害羞草研究所� Ferguson said.
