Officials in the Cariboo are urging residents and travellers to prepare themselves and their households as the wildfire situation continues to deteriorate in the region.
害羞草研究所淭he seasonal weather forecast is not going to improve,害羞草研究所� said Gerald Pinchbeck, public information officer for the Cariboo Regional District害羞草研究所檚 (CRD), Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and CRD communications manager, during a media update Wednesday afternoon (July 12).
害羞草研究所淲e are going to continue to see hot, dry conditions with little to no precipitation and lightning in the future.害羞草研究所�
Several evacuation orders and alerts have been issued in the last 24 hours due to increased fire activity in the northwest region of the Cariboo.
As of 2:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, the CRD issued its latest evacuation alert for the Rainbow Lake area. The Rainbow Lake alert impacts 52 people, 83 properties, 31 dwellings and 8,200 ha.
This area is to the south of the Teepee Lake evacuation order issued earlier in the day which impacts 27 people, and 293 properties over 71,000 ha. The Teepee Lake wildfire is located northwest of Quesnel, and north of the community of Nazko.
Right now there are 105 people on evacuation order throughout the regional district. This covers 972 properties and 66 known houses over 240,600 ha.
Excluding the latest alert, there are 130 people on alert, impacting 152 properties, 76 dwellings covering 43,492 ha.
Pinchbeck said the BC Wildfire Service is doing all they can to fight the fires, but there is something residents can do to help - be prepared and make a plan now for an evacuation.
Critical documentation should be ready to go; home insurance, medical information, identification. Pinchbeck also encourages residents to sign up for the CRD害羞草研究所檚 . Residents should also have a ready.
When asked if all residents were following evacuation orders, officials couldn害羞草研究所檛 say at this time.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a fluid situation right now. Some residents take a bit longer to organize to leave areas that quickly go from alert to order,害羞草研究所� said Stephanie Masun, director of the CRD害羞草研究所檚 EOC and manager of emergency program services 路 Cariboo Regional District. 害羞草研究所淭hose people may be organizing their animals. There害羞草研究所檚 a lot of agriculture producers and hobby farmers out in the areas we have activated now through orders and alerts. Those situations take a bit longer to organize.害羞草研究所�
Masun added Emergency Support Services have been activated between Quesnel and Williams Lake to assist while RCMP and SARS have been notifying residents of the orders.
There are no known structure losses at this time due to the fires in the Cariboo region, although there have been losses of hay crops reported, confirmed Masun, calling it a significant consideration and concern for the agricultural industry.
Masun encouraged residents and visitors, particularly those in remote areas with limited communications, to 害羞草研究所減lease have a plan.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淧lease understand you may have interrupted transportation routes 害羞草研究所� situations can change quickly.害羞草研究所�
Masun advised travellers to carry extra water and supplies in case there is an unexpected road block, and leave a route plan and time if return with someone.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really, really important that people are prepared travelling as well as when they害羞草研究所檙e at work that they may not be able to get home as planned.害羞草研究所�
A thick blanket of smoke has settled over the Cariboo Chilcotin this week as Billy Barker Days are set to kick off in Quesnel Thursday, July 13.
Organizers there have been moving forward with their plans to host the festival at this time.
As of Wednesday, there are now four wildfires of note in the region.
They are the Townsend Creek wildfire, the Teepee Lake fire, the Pelican Lake wildfire and the Gatcho Lake wildfire.
