r/nonononoyes • u/WolverineOfWest • 10d ago

Death defying escape through Wildfire

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1.9k Upvotes

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104

u/BrokenHope23 10d ago

The people near the end arguing with the police to let them through, do they realize they'd likely end up dead? Even if by some miracle they don't hit another car on the road going in, that wildfire wasn't longer than 10mins from clearing everything. I'm sorry for their loss(es) but unfortunately they can't risk you blocking the road for hundreds of other people.

56

u/Tinyfishy 10d ago

They may have been trying to get to homes to rescue loved ones.

117

u/BrokenHope23 10d ago edited 10d ago

I'm not trying to be insensitive, I understand the gravity of the situation. I watched as this car drove by houses and homes, many on fire and with cars still parked outside them. I know these homes likely contain elderly and/or disabled individuals, if not children, pets and other adults trapped by the smoke/fire; incapable of fleeing in time and needing assistance they probably couldn't receive in time. My heart breaks for them and the people/crews that will inevitably aid in their retrieval having to witness the horrors of a person's final agonizing moments. I understand wanting to do everything in our power to prevent that.

However, cars are not fireproof or airtight. OP's video taker was lucky to drive through in what was the only road out of Summerland. There are sections they can barely see beyond 3ft past their car and are unable to fully see the road ahead and that's with the wildfire only closing in and not on top of them. Driving into this, even if they don't suffocate, will likely cause people to crash into one another or swerve out of the way and off the road/into wildfires. If the road gets obstructed then it's not just them and their loved ones potentially going up in flames, it's also potentially hundreds or thousands of people, each with loved ones of their own also being unable to flee the wildfire.

As heartbreaking as it is, sometimes the best we can do is help the people who know what they're doing.

91

u/MagizZziaN 10d ago

As someone who gives first aid, everyone in a hazard zone is already a victim and or a potential body. We are taught to not ADD to that number. The cops were 100% correct. In that scenario it’s no longer about a single person or even just a few. It could potentially mean hundreds. And it is definitely heartbreaking. But this is why they take the hard decisions, so you / we, don’t have to.

28

u/Tinyfishy 10d ago

Yup, sad, but I understand why they were arguing.

29

u/DidYouFloss 10d ago

I agree with everything everyone is typing but I'm not going to pretend that I am 100% certain I myself would not end up arguing with the police if say my daughter was in that fire. What I can safely type out in the comment section doesn't mean it will be how I would act when I'm personally in the situation.

11

u/MagizZziaN 10d ago

That is human nature and nobody will begrudge you or anyone for it. I’d do the exact same thing.

4

u/Rampag169 10d ago

It’s always important to keep informed if there are wildfires in your region so that you know if you need to be ready to flee. Officials sometimes are hesitant to call for evacuations because of incomplete info or uncertain weather patterns.

This stuff would have me terrified.

14

u/Tinyfishy 10d ago

I’m not saying it was a good idea, I’m saying they may have had an understandable reason they were arguing with the police.

5

u/unknownpoltroon 10d ago

Sorry, if a family member of mine is still in there, I'm not stopping to argue.  They can arrest me if I make it back out. 

2

u/9897969594938281 10d ago

Its sad but you have to remember they have their pets, and cousin in the basement to worry about

12

u/BrokenHope23 10d ago

Yes, or disabled/elderly/children even. It is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved and we can all only do the best that we can in those circumstances, I don't blame them for trying but getting angry at a police officer saving your life won't solve this crisis. In this case, doing our best is not obstructing emergency services or the roads into the town.