A member of the Argenta Fire Crew surveys a fire that started above the small, remote community in B.C.'s southern interior on July 18, 2024. The crew managed to suppress this fire while two larger ones burned nearby.

Equipment from the Argenta Fire Crew sits on the side of a woodlot road near a wildfire that was started by lightning on July 18, 2024. The volunteer crew responded to one of three fires that were burning above the community and were able to suppress it before ministry crews showed up later in the afternoon.

Members of the Argenta Fire Crew transfer water from a pillow tank to a relay tank during efforts to suppress a fire above the remote community on July 19, 2024.

Members of the Argenta fire crew start a pump to bring water to a fire on the mountainside above the remote community on July 18, 2024.

Morning light creates rays in the smoke from a smouldering fire that was successfully held by the Argenta Fire Crew on July 18, 2024.

Chris Petersen, a member of the Argenta fire crew, repairs an old steel tank for a neighbour on July 23, 2024. The neighbour plans to use it as a relay tank for a fire pump to protect his property and the community.

Rik Valentine, co-founder of the Argenta fire crew, speaks on his radio while observing the Argenta Creek wildfire on July 23, 2024. The fire, which grew considerably throughout the day, covers the upper mountainside directly above much of the small community.

Ray Valentine, a long-time resident of Argenta, watches from his property as a wildfire burns on the hillside above the community on July 21, 2024. The fire was started two days earlier when a lightning storm ignited dozens of fires in the region.

Chris Petersen, a resident of Argenta, B.C., clears branches during community efforts to reduce fuel around the community hall and post office while a cluster of wildfires burn on the mountain above on July 22, 2024. The fires started on July 17 after a massive lightning storm moved through the region.

A group of signs welcome visitors to the small community of Argenta, BC, on July 27, 2024. The newest one on the lower right indicates the number given to the Argenta Creek Wildfire — N71058 — which would ultimately burn almost 20,000 hectares of forest and force a two-week evacuation of residents.

Members of the Argenta fire crew gather outside the community hall on July 25, 2024, to look over maps and plan actions for the day. While the crew spent only two days directly fighting fire they helped with structure protection and provided vital local knowledge to government and contract crews from outside the community.

Lily Schell, a heavy equipment operator and resident of Argenta, primes a pump before starting it during a nighttime directive to set up a hose lay for a neighbour's home on July 25, 2024.

Embers and ashes fly as the Argenta Creek Wildfire burns on the night of July 24, 2024. That night, the 150-person community was forced to evacuate as strong winds pushed the fire down the mountain towards homes.

Yvonne Boyd, a member of the Argenta fire crew, comforts another crew member at the Argenta community hall while taking a break from doing structure protection on July 26, 2024.

Members of the Argenta fire crew check domestic water intakes in Argenta Creek on August 1, 2024, as part of efforts to protect homes during the Argenta Creek Wildfire. Because of the remote nature of the community, having local knowledge of terrain and water setups were a vital piece in the three-week fight to save township.

Firefighting shirts and pants hang on a laundry line in Argenta, BC, after the local volunteer crew suppressed a fire that started on the mountainside above the community during a lightning storm on July 17, 2024.

Fire hoses belonging to the Argenta fire crew hang to dry following the conclusion of the Argenta Creek Wildfire Complex which burned nearly 20,000 hectares surrounding the remote community in late July and early August of 2024.

Argenta fire crew member, Chris Petersen (left), hangs a sign welcoming residents of the community home shortly before the two-week evacuation order is lifted for the community on August 8, 2024.