If the water bombers had arrived a few minutes later Rose Terbasket fears she would be homeless now.

害羞草研究所淭hey came just in the nick of time. The fire was moving fast towards the house,害羞草研究所� she said.

She and her son Justin Terbasket noticed smoke up the mountain behind their home on Blind Creek Reservation part of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band around 1:30 p.m.

It took less than hour for the fire to come roaring down the mountainside where the Fairview Cawston Road comes down from Oliver.

害羞草研究所淭he sound was so loud. The sage brush and the grass just went up and the wind was pushing it. The noise was very loud,害羞草研究所� Rose said.

Rose and Justin and some neighbouring family members worked to try and save their property.

Rose pulled out a sprinkler and tried to put it near the home while Justin along with others tried to get the horses out of the path of the fire.

害羞草研究所淓very time they害羞草研究所檇 get them headed out something would come and spook them back. I thought they weren害羞草研究所檛 going to go but they did and headed east.害羞草研究所�

The fire took the feedlot for the horses and a hay house building on the property.

As the fire came closer to the house Rose chose to evacuate while her son Justin stayed to fight off the fire.

害羞草研究所淭hey told me I didn害羞草研究所檛 have to be here, but it害羞草研究所檚 my home,害羞草研究所� Justin said.

The Keremeos Fire Department arrived on scene quickly taking up a variety of jobs from fire suppression to working the perimeter of the fire and evacuating residents.

The water bombers arrived when the fire was about 20 metres from the Terbasket害羞草研究所檚 home.

Red retardant coats the top of the house, the driveway and several vehicles.

害羞草研究所淲e want to thank the water bombers and the Keremeos Fire Department. Without them we don害羞草研究所檛 know what would have happened. Our lives could have been ruined,害羞草研究所� Justin said while taking a break from power washing the retardant off.

Close to 120 hectares were burned in the fire. More than 50 firefighters from BC Wildfire Service and the Keremeos Fire Department worked on the fire.

At this point the cause of the fire has not been released but Justin Terbasket said he and other family members saw a vehicle with Quebec licence plates in the area at the time the fire broke out.

Cpl. Brian Evans of the Keremeos RCMP detachment confirmed police talked to the people in the vehicle shortly after emergency crews responded.

害羞草研究所淧eople who were in the area have been identified and spoken to. It害羞草研究所檚 under investigation by the natural resource officers and their looking at the cause. Nothing has been released and no charges have been laid,害羞草研究所� he said.

The fire travelled behind orchards and vineyards west along Lowe Drive.

Elam Wills a longtime organics farmer in the area and a former BC Wildfire Service firefighter rushed to help neighbouring orchardists.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 actually a lot you can do to stop the fire from spreading,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e stamped out the fire and used shovels. At one point I got my chainsaw and cut down a tree that was on fire so that it wouldn害羞草研究所檛 fall into the orchard. We just wanted to stop it from getting to the orchard and having more fuel,害羞草研究所� he said.

About 15 people worked to save the orchard across the street from Elam害羞草研究所檚 and other害羞草研究所檚 worked in neighbouring vineyards and orchards.

Jordy Bosscha, chief of the Keremeos fire department said there was a huge turnout of local firefighters to the scene.

害羞草研究所淲e had a great turnout of firefighters to this fire. Twenty-four came out and we worked until 11 p.m. Tuesday night on the fire,害羞草研究所� Jordy Bosscha, chief of the Keremeos fire department said.

He reminded people that while an active fire is underway that it害羞草研究所檚 best to stay out of the area and out of the way.

害羞草研究所淚f there害羞草研究所檚 a fire please don害羞草研究所檛 come to the area because you do really hinder us. We might be filling up with water and you害羞草研究所檙e in the way and it all slows things down,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲ith grass and sagebrush things move really fast,害羞草研究所� he said.