Wildfires in B.C. force thousands from their homes
Posted Jul 8, 2017 07:47:51 AM.
Last Updated Jul 8, 2017 07:52:34 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s been an extremely busy day for firefighting crews across British Columbia
Kevin Skrepnek with the BC Wildfire Service says there have been almost 100 new fires since this morning.
“This is about as busy as it gets in our business,” claims Skrepnek, who says crews are exhausted. “Certainly the Cariboo and Kamloops Fire centres are where we’re seeing the majority of our most significant activity right now.”
He adds hot and dry conditions are not helping those battling multiple fires across the central interior region.
“We did also have a bit of a storm system move through with lightning and wind and that set off a number of fires in the central interior. In terms of major incidents right now, we’ve got many on-going.”
Meantime, a province-wide state of emergency has been declared in British Columbia.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone describes the situation as urgent and says the “extraordinary step” of declaring an emergency was necessary to co-ordinate the crisis response and ensure public safety.
Premier-Designate John Horgan has issued a statement saying his thoughts are with those in the affected communities, and the brave firefighters and emergency responders who are working hard to contain the fires and protect homes and lives.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has declared a local state of emergency and people still within the village of Cache Creek are being urged to leave immediately.
This incredibly fast-moving wildfire erupted from 50 to 700 hectares in just a few hours, and according to Chief Information officer Justine Hunse with the BC Wildfire Service, five buildings have already been destroyed.
“We have performed a tactical evacuation in the area. Firefighters have gone door to door. There are 48 BC Wildfire Service firefighters as well as aircraft and heavy equipment on site at this time.”
People are being told to go to an emergency social services reception centre in Kamloops as crews expect the blaze to grow substantially in the next several hours.
Both the Ashcroft and Cache Creek fire departments are also attending to the blaze in that area. BC Hydro is reporting, there are currently more than 2000 customers without power.
Crews currently have Highway 1 and Highway 97C blocked off near Ashcroft with no estimated time of reopening them.
Meanwhile, another wildfire is raging near 100 Mile House in the southern Cariboo region of our province has been spreading fast, forcing a number of people out of their homes and putting more on evacuation alert.
As many as 3,000 homeowners have been told to evacuate their properties in central BC as the wind-fanned wildfire threatens their properties.
Cariboo Regional District Chair Al Richmond says 1,800 properties previously under evacuation alert are now under orders to be cleared out.
“We have flaggers at the entrances to direct traffic, and we’ve also just extended the evacuation order to the far end of Lac la Hache to Wright Station Road on the west side… and put the town of Lac la Hache under an evacuation alert. We have about 2124 under order and about 607 under alert.We have about 2124 under order and about 607 under alert.”
Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says it doesn’t look like the fire is going to let up anytime soon. “We are still seeing continued, and unfortunately, aggressive growth on the Gustafsen fire. Given the conditions we’re seeing out there, it sounds like there is potentially some wind in the forecast.”
Two reception centres have been set up at the curling rink in 100 Mile House and the Ramada hotel in Williams Lake.
