Okanagan Military Museum
NEWS RELEASE
OMMS NR- 28.09.04 - Battle in Our BacKyards
NEW EXHIBIT OPENS
Battle in Our Backyards
OPERATION PEREGRINE: The Canadian Forces fight against the wildfires of 2003Kelowna, BC – A new temporary exhibit will be officially open for public viewing starting on Tuesday, 28 September 2004. This exhibit entitled Battle in Our Backyards – Operation Peregrine: the Canadian Forces fight against the wildfires of 2003, tells the story of the Canadian military’s contribution to the province of BC’s campaign to protect our towns, cities and forests from the ravages of last summer’s wildfires. The museum is located in the Kelowna Memorial Arena on Ellis Street. The Museum is open to the public Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is free however donations are accepted.
The exhibit uses over fifty photographs, taken during military operations by Canadian Forces photographers and Public Affairs personnel, in conjunction with artifacts and information boards to illustrate the scope and detail of the battle against the fires from the Canadian Forces perspective.
“At about this time last year, the last of the over 2,600 Canadian Forces assigned to Operation Peregrine were departing the fire zones to return to their home bases after a tough two months of fighting fires throughout the interior. The first anniversary of the close of this military operation is a good time to recap this significant event in our local history’ stated Paul Seguna, museum Public Relations director. Paul served as a Canadian Forces spokesperson during Operation Peregrine in his capacity as a reserve Public Affairs Officer.
Operation Peregrine lasted forty-five days with more than 2,200 Canadian Forces personnel in fire-fighting companies committed in direct support of the BC Forest Service on the frontlines combating five of the worst fires, at Barriere-McLure, Okanagan Mountain Park, Vaseux Lake, McGillivray and Kuskanook. By the end of field fire-fighting operations in mid-September Operation Peregrine had earned a position in the history of Canadian Forces domestic operations in BC as the largest of its kind since the severe Fraser River flooding during the late 1940s. In terms of deployed forces it surpassed in numbers contemporary Canadian Forces operations overseas. Operation Peregrine was one of several major Canadian Forces domestic operations within the past decade that have saved many Canadian lives and millions of dollars of property from natural disasters across the country.
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For information, contact:
Keith Boehmer, The Okanagan Military Museum operations Manager- (250) 763-9292
Okanagan Military Musuem media contacts:
Keith Boehmer, Museum Manager: (250) 763-9292 or
Paul Seguna,Marketing/PR Director: (250) 558-5503 (Coldstream) or