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BC Hydro’s Wilsey Dam @ Shuswap Falls – is a paradise for anyone who loves waterfalls and white waters raging through rugged canyons. Wilsey Dam recreational area features a high balcony type platform right above the spillway and a rocky bluff view point further down river. The best views over the turbine building and waterfalls of two different bypass channels are from the rock bluff viewpoint, about one half mile south.

From the spillway, the waters are divided into two bypass channels. One channel dramatically drops approximately 20 feet down while the second channel continues at moderate descend into a rocky gorge.  The base of the gorge is the location of BC Hydro’s power generating facility.

BC Hydro’s Wilsey Dam @ Shuswap Falls is one of few dams in British Columbia that provides up close access. The water action at the spillway is particularly exciting during spring snow melt and run off. 

Wilsey Dam at Shuswap Falls, BC – To Be Decommissioned – BC Hydro plans to decommission the Wilsey Dam and 5.2-MW Shuswap Falls Powerhouse on the Shuswap River, which allows salmon access to historical spawning habitat in the river. Demolitions work is set to begin in 2026..

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As extreme drought conditions continue throughout the province of British Columbia, residents in the Okanagan grow more concerned about new wildfires every day. After a grass fire at a slope above Kalamalka Lake on the previous day and the following night, smoke was spotted a few miles west of Becker Lake. High winds ignited a spot fire to to a blaze of several hectares. Air tankers and helicopters from Kamloops and Vernon fought the wildfire for most of the day.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says it is responding to a new wildfire near Vernon in B.C.’s north Okanagan Saturday. According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Becker Lake wildfire just east of Vernon was first listed around a hectare in size but is very visible from Vernon and the surrounding area. The fire is currently classified as “out of control.” 

Fire information officer Aydan Coray said the wildfire is three to five kilometres outside of town and the cause is currently unknown. Twenty-six BC Wildfire Service fire personnel are on scene fighting the Becker Lake wildfire, alongside four helicopters and air tanker support. 

The initial fire fighting attack was carried out by one man intermeshing rotor helicopter dropping water on the grounds above Pottery Road  on Friday, July 9, 2021.  Intermeshing rotor helicopters also known as synchropters, have two main rotors that spin in opposite directions and overlap with each other. The flight characteristics of these machine make them idea for wildland firefighting as they can operate in tight spaces and difficult terrain.

An air tanker drops retardant onto the Becker Lake Wildfire shortly after its discovery. Retardants, commonly recognized by their bright red colour, are usually dropped ahead of an advancing fire by air tankers and helicopters to help contain the wildfire. The colouring allows fire crews to easily see where the retardant has landed. Retardants contain ammonium salts and are essentially water-soluble, industrial-strength fertilizer (with colouring added) that affect the burning process of forest fuels. When flames come into contact with retardant, the resulting reaction releases a combination of water and carbon dioxide that helps cool and suffocate the fire.

The Avro RJ85 AT as seen actioning the Becker Lake wildfire, features a four engine reliability providing excellent short field performance along with multiple system redundancy. The RJ85 provides excellent low speed and high speed performance making this aircraft an ideal air tanker in any terrain. It can deliver a maximum of 11,355 litres (3,000 US gallons) of retardant or water.

Air tankers are fixed-wing aircraft that have been repurposed from retired commercial airliners to help douse wildfires. They are typically loaded with long-term retardant at a tanker base prior to departure to a wildfire. These aircraft have been selected for this role because of their speed-handling characteristics and the size of the load they can carry.

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2021 Becker Lake Wildfire Vernon BC – #03 Video Archive

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Sicamous Creek Fatal Falls, BC – Three house-sized boulders in a narrow gorge divide Sicamous Creek into two cascading waterfalls. A short, well developed and marked trail leads to a viewing area from which the stunning scenery of Sicamous Creek Fatal Falls can be enjoyed.

Sicamous Creek (Fatal) Falls are called this because several people have died there of stupidity. For better views, they all climbed up on rock faces in the gorge or scrambled along steep side hills – only to fall to their deaths.

Clearly marked and hand-railed trails lead to viewing points and pathways loop around the Sicamous Creek gorge. 

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Ancient times and nature come together at the Historic Dun-Waters Farm & Short’s Creek Waterfall in Fintry BC. A long history and traces of first nation’s people and European settlers is preserved in Fintry Provincial Park on Lake Okanagan in BC.

Historic Dun-Waters Farm at Short’s Creek and waterfall in Fintry BC, is an interesting place to visit. Fintry’s octagonal dairy barn is believed to be the last standing eight-sided barn in BC and one of only a few in Canada.

Captain James Cameron Dun-Waters raised in Scotland, inherited a significant amount of money at the age of 22. To pursue his interest in hunting, he came to Canada. An explorer by nature, Dun-Waters became fond of a delta along the west side of Okanagan Lake where he settled in 1909.

He built and operated a farm business, boating service, an orchard and a fruit packing plant supported by innovative hydro-electricity generation and irrigation systems.

James was also involved with the Armstrong Interior Provincial Exhibition organisation, the CPR and the BC Fruit Growers Association. He also served overseas during World War One.

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Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam, BC – A few kilometers south of Sugar Lake in Bc is the location of Brenda Falls. In 1942, BC Hydro constructed a dam to create storage and increase the power generating potential at Wilsey Dam (Shuswap Falls). This new dam allowed for another 4000 HP generating unit at Shuswap Falls, which translates to another 5.2 MW of capacity.

Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam is worth a visit for photography buffs and anyone who loves the raw power of waterfalls. Caution is advised when attempting to get closer to the rivers edge via the western side’s former viewing area. A steep, badly eroded, old trail that leads down to the bottom of the dam wall and the falls.

The powers of water are best captured in high speed photography or in video. In winter, the lighting conditions can be difficult when shooting sun illuminated waters from a dark location.

Brenda Falls at Sugar Lake Dam, BC and all other hydroelectric facilities create special risks for visitors. Sudden changes in water flows in the spillway, strong currents near the dam, and the presence of numerous log jams and debris make swimming and boating dangerous.

Leave a plan of your for your own safety, stay behind fenced areas, away from all hydroelectric operating structures, and away from steep cliffs. Before embarking on a trip, ensure that you have detailed mapping, have first hand knowledge of the river and present conditions, and have taken adequate safety precautions, especially during high water.  

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Shuswap Falls near Lumby in British Columbia facilitates BC Hydro’s Wilsey Dam which features multiple waterfalls year round. A prominent viewing platform high above the dam’s spill channel provides spectacular views to the frothing waters below.

Further north along the course of the Shuswap River at 29 Km distance is the site of Sugar Lake dam. Historically known as Brenda Falls, the river drops there about 30 feet.

The structure is a 150 m long and 13 m high concrete buttress dam that provides storage and regulation for the BC Hydro Shuswap Falls generating station downstream.

Shuswap Falls, BC @ Historic Wilsey Dam – is a paradise for photographers and videographers. For anyone who loves waterfalls and raging waters through rugged canyons, this is the place to visit. Since the dam’s construction, salmon have been unable to travel up into the head waters of Shuswap River for spawning. Due to public pressure by first nations and naturalists, BC Hydro decided in 2021 it was more cost-effective decommission the outdated plant rather than to construct fish ladders for the salmon. According to BC Hydro, the works would commence as early as 2026. .

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The Wild Pacific Trail BC on Vancouver Island near the town of Ucluelet, BC invites to vast beaches in Pacific Rim National Park and offers endless photo opportunities. Rock Bluffs at the northern portion of the trail features elevated observation spots on the rugged coastline. At the bottom of this page, you will find a link to a video that features many stunning photographs of the Wild Pacific Trail.

In spring, the blow spouts of migrating whales can be seen on the ocean. Radar Hill provides excellent views over the ocean side and is a particular good spot to visit for late summer sunsets.  

In the vicinity of the Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, the southern part of the Wild Pacific Trail there is access to the ocean edge at low tide. Many rocky tide pools host stunning sea life such as urchins, sea stars, anemones and small crabs which are easy to capture on camera. To get rid of the sky’s reflection on the water surface, a flash light does an excellent job. 

There are so many beautiful sites to see and explore on the Wild Pacific Trail on Vancouver Island, BC. The best seasonal time to to catch stunning sunsets is in the spring when the sun sets due west. Later in the year, due to the earth’s rotation, the sun sets further north and is difficult to see from the Wild Pacific Trail..

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