Cruel welcome back for Ashcroft Indian Band reserve evacuees

The soundof a sprinkler and dogs barking can be heard from the distanceas you approachGary Classen's house.

It's one stillstanding in the Ashcroft Indian Band reserve as many neighbouring houses have all turned to ash.

"It came all the way around the house, five feet away," said Classenabout the fire than ripped throughthe community.

He was told to leave but decided to stay and fight the flames.

"Nobody was going to stop me," Classensaid.

Classen was on his way home when the fire erupted July 6 in the close-knitFirst Nation community of 76 people, located less than a 100 kmaway from Kamloops.

When he heard the news he jumped in his truck and raced home.

"Got to the Esso and got into my blue pick-up and flew up here."

With a garden house and asprinkler,he attempted to douse the flames encircling his house.

"Four and half hours later, I had her," saidClassenwho used thegardenhose to also spray himself down as he fought to saveeverything he owned.

His main worry was to save his chickens, which he did as onlyone chicken suffered burns.

"I would do it all over again if I had to," he said.

His neighbours weren't so lucky. Twelveof the 32 homes in the area were destroyed. The 13,084-hectare fire is still burning and despite efforts to containit, the B.C. Wildfire Service says it's still out of control.

"Pretty devastating for them," said Classen. "Alot of people didn't have a lot. They had their homes," he said.

"They lost everything, just lost everything, That'swhyIfeel sorry forthe people around here," said Classen.

Now as residents return, they have discoveredthe extent of the damage, which up until now, they could only imagine.

"We couldn't see because there was so much smoke," said Chief Greg Blain. "The smoke was so bad, we knew we lost some houses but we didn't know where, there was a lot of speculation."

He estimates it will cost $12 to$15 million to rebuild.

Darryl Kirkpatrick, whose home is safe, borrowed some heavy machinery fromhis boss and got to work.

"Just got back to check my house and boss shows up and goes 'ready to work? Yup,'" he said, putting on his mask to protect his lungs from dust.

"Anything to help the community to come together and unite," said Kirkpatrick.

• Take a 360 degree tour inside this burned out car.

Blain said many people have home insurance, but no one had insured thecontents in their house.

"Unfortunately we can't save their old memories, but we can certainly create new ones," he said

Dozens of residents arein temporary shelters with few possessionsor food, while insurance adjusters are on the reserve, surveying the damage.

Residents are anxious to come home andto start rebuilding. Hydro poles and other infrastructure also burned in the blaze.

On Thursday, crews worked torestorepower, but the water must be tested to ensure it's safe.

"Hopefully the water is good and everyone can come back," saidGeorge Harvey, the reserve's maintenancemanager.

"I've been here for seven years," he said, his voice cracking.

"And Ithink the world of the people here."