While not ready to leave, Jay Simpson said he and fellow North Shuswap citizens who continue fighting fires are tired and want help.

害羞草研究所淎t this point, we害羞草研究所檙e bagged, we害羞草研究所檝e been working 2o-hour days in more dangerous situations and so much smoke. I害羞草研究所檝e got nothing but so much respect for people who are out there stomping on fires,害羞草研究所� said Simpson, the Electoral Area F director with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD).

Simpson and others continue to defy a CSRD evacuation order that害羞草研究所檚 been in place since Friday, Aug. 18, when what害羞草研究所檚 now referred to as the Bush Creek East wildfire spread into the communities of Lee Creek, Scotch Creek and Celista.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 the epitome of civil disobedience right now, because I did not follow the order to depart害羞草研究所� I stayed behind and fought the fires to save my home, my neighbours, my community害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Simpson, frustrated that authorities are preventing things like bottled water, food and fuel for generators from reaching citizens fighting fires in the evacuation order areas.

害羞草研究所淭here are fuel suppliers out there that would just love to stop in and help us, but they害羞草研究所檙e being piloted through so nobody gets off the road, nobody stops and drops off some fuel, nobody does anything. We can害羞草研究所檛 get a hot dog in here. We can害羞草研究所檛 get a bottle of water in here害羞草研究所� we害羞草研究所檙e just cut right off.害羞草研究所�

The CSRD continues to urge citizens to vacate the evacuation order areas, for their safety and the safety of firefighters.

害羞草研究所淭he message that I want to provide to the community is there are enough resources on this fire to actively engage whatever comes at them, and if there aren害羞草研究所檛 enough resources, we have resources waiting to go into the communities to deal with this,害羞草研究所� said Shuswap Emergency Program emergency operations director Derek Sutherland in an afternoon Aug. 22 update. 害羞草研究所淪o community members can feel safe and secure that there are firefighters to deal with any issues that arise on their property if and when they choose to evacuate.害羞草研究所�

With lingering hot spots, flare ups and more, Simpson agreed it害羞草研究所檚 not a safe situation to be working in.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a safe thing to be doing, but on the other hand we are saving our homes, our communities,害羞草研究所� he said, acknowledging help is needed.

Simpson said he took part in a meeting Tuesday (Aug. 22) between locals and BC Wildfire Service personnel, during which a collaborative approach was discussed.

害羞草研究所淭hey came out and sat down at our kitchen table, two of them, a couple of us, and they talked about how the backburn went and what they did and how we can work together, and we害羞草研究所檙e working towards that,害羞草研究所� said Simpson. 害羞草研究所淥ur contractors out here with big heavy machinery, we害羞草研究所檙e getting them registered with BC Wildfire so we can work in conjunction with them.

害羞草研究所淲e want this cooperation 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 critical. We cannot do this ourselves. We cannot save our communities all by ourselves. We害羞草研究所檝e taken the first three days of utter chaos and done what we could to save as much as we could, but it害羞草研究所檚 a long game, it害羞草研究所檚 going to be months, two months 害羞草研究所� until the snow flies.害羞草研究所�

BC Wildfire Service information officer Forrest Tower said such collaborations are not uncommon, that there害羞草研究所檚 a successful one working the Rossmore Lake wildfire near Kamloops.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had community members from Knutsford that害羞草研究所檚 engaged on that fire since July,害羞草研究所� said Tower. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e folded into our operations, some of them have actually signed up with us as emergency firefighters, a large number of them have not, they害羞草研究所檙e still volunteer status. But we have a good organizational structure there, there害羞草研究所檚 clear lines of communication, there害羞草研究所檚 check-ins happening害羞草研究所� So it can work, we just really have to work towards some good operational oversight and at this point, the BC Wildfire Service provides that operational oversight.

害羞草研究所淔olding community members into that whenever possible will be a lot more efficient than everyone kind of running around doing their own thing, which is both unsafe and also not efficient. It just makes things take much longer.害羞草研究所�

Tower, acknowledging the good work being done in the North Shuswap, believes better communication is needed to ease tensions and remind people they害羞草研究所檙e working towards the same goals.

害羞草研究所淚 think there害羞草研究所檚 this sense that because there害羞草研究所檚 RCMP blockages and an evacuation order and supplies aren害羞草研究所檛 getting in, that government is working against people,害羞草研究所� said Tower. 害羞草研究所淩eally, all that has to happen is if there are individuals who do have those skills and wants to put them to use, and they害羞草研究所檙e willing to work in an organized manner under direction 害羞草研究所� usually by someone with the BC Wildfire Service, they just have to reach out.害羞草研究所�

Simpson said they were told by the BCWS that it needs locals 害羞草研究所� their expertise, equipment and knowledge of the area.

害羞草研究所淚 just had a guy from Magna Bay text me a photo of a fire that害羞草研究所檚 burning in a steep area 害羞草研究所� he gave me a pin of the location, told me there was nobody in the area, so I sent that off to BC Wildfire and they sent it off to their operations people,害羞草研究所� said Simpson. 害羞草研究所淪o locals on the ground being able to help BC Wildfire identify areas of concern and areas of large fires, flames害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey were in and put about four hours in dual helicopters into the Lee Creek Gorge and I害羞草研究所檓 sure that will save a bunch of houses that are downstream of that area. So we love the collaboration, we害羞草研究所檇 love to have them here.害羞草研究所�

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