Residents of the tight-knit community of Venables Valley southwest of Ashcroft are trying to remain hopeful as they wait to hear the extent of structure loss in the wake of the Shetland Creek wildfire, which swept through Saranagati village on the evening of July 17.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e heard there is structure loss, but we害羞草研究所檙e uncertain of the numbers, and the fire is still doing its thing,害羞草研究所� says Damodar Paquette, who was evacuated from the community with his wife and two children.

害羞草研究所淲e have an individual going in there from our community to look at the situation, and we害羞草研究所檙e not making any announcements until the damage has been assessed. Right now we害羞草研究所檙e keeping our hopes up, but at the same time we don害羞草研究所檛 want misinformation that will give people false hope.害羞草研究所�

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is putting the preliminary estimate of structures lost at fewer than 10, but officials have not been able to enter the area to do a complete assessment.

Many members of the community of around 80 people were attending a meeting on July 17 that had been called because of the threat of the Shetland Creek wildfire, which started south of the community on July 12.

害羞草研究所淚t was a FireSmart meeting to prepare our homes,害羞草研究所� says Paquette. Venables residents had seen the lightning and thunderstorms at the beginning of the week (害羞草研究所淣ot good news害羞草研究所�), and knew there was a fire south of them, so the FireSmart meeting was arranged.

It was not the first time that Venables residents had talked about fire mitigation, and Paquette says that steps had been taken in the past to try to mitigate the potential for damage in the case of fire. There had also been training to help people deal with fires, and community members had successfully put out small lightning-caused fires in the past.

However, Paquette adds that a big part of dealing with fires is knowing when to escape.

害羞草研究所淲e knew there was a fire, and that it might stay there or come here, but we didn害羞草研究所檛 have much chance to discuss it,害羞草研究所� says Paquette. 害羞草研究所淲e were talking about how to deal with this fire, but it was announcing itself 害羞草研究所� it was there in the sky, we saw flames over the ridge 害羞草研究所� and it said 害羞草研究所楴o, you害羞草研究所檙e going to get out of the way害羞草研究所� and did its thing.害羞草研究所�

Evacuation was made easier, adds Paquette, because most members of the community were at the meeting and saw the threat.

害羞草研究所淲hen this fire came to our valley there was no 害羞草研究所楢re we going to fight this fire?害羞草研究所� It was moving pretty fast and we were seeing trees light up like matches down the valley.

害羞草研究所淭here was no argument; it was 害羞草研究所楲et害羞草研究所檚 evacuate now.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Paquette says that what followed was stressful.

害羞草研究所淲e went home filled with adrenalin, and within two hours everyone was out. We had sheep and were trying to get them into our truck, but after an hour of them panicking we were unsuccessful. We have low expectations, but high hopes, that they害羞草研究所檒l survive, be able to find food and shelter and water.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e hoping for the best for them, but we had to have priorities. In the future we害羞草研究所檒l have equipment and training for [getting them out] if it happens again.害羞草研究所�  

When residents left on Wednesday night there was uncertainty about what had happened, and an expectation that the village would be devastated. The next day they heard that the fire had not gone everywhere and that most structures were okay; then the wind picked up and there was another wave of fires in the valley.
Now residents are just waiting for the fire to be gone so that they can get a clear view of the situation.

害羞草研究所淲e will reassess once we know and come up with a plan as a community of how to tackle that,害羞草研究所� says Paquette. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the test of a community. I remain very hopeful. There are plenty of challenges in this world 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 the nature of this world 害羞草研究所� and I hope that as a community we can face it. The most important thing is that there were no casualties.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not out of the woods. It害羞草研究所檚 devastation and part of nature, but at the same time humans have always been able to work around that and find great opportunities. Destruction can lead to new creation, and maybe it will help us rebuild better. We remain hopeful that we will be able to sustain our losses.害羞草研究所�

In the meantime, the residents of Saranagati village have been relocated from Cache Creek to Kamloops. Paquette says that the Kamloops community has been very welcoming, which is helping them greatly, and he and his wife are trying to make sure their children don害羞草研究所檛 feel the weight of the situation.

害羞草研究所淭hey remain in high spirits, and they害羞草研究所檙e still happy. We害羞草研究所檙e trying to shelter them as best we can. We haven害羞草研究所檛 told them yet that there are losses. We害羞草研究所檙e waiting to see the full reality of it.害羞草研究所�

Residents are also trying to gather together on a daily basis, to keep their morale high. 害羞草研究所淭his calamity is a great opportunity to bring us closer together and allow us to absorb ourselves in the important things in life, in our spiritual life. Everything else is temporary.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e grateful for all the help and support that friends, and the larger community, have shown. It touches our hearts. And we acknowledge, and are grateful for, all the hard work firefighters are doing in this humongous task of protecting everyone from these wildfires. It害羞草研究所檚 a devastating force that makes us seem insignificant, but at the same time shows the awesomeness of nature, and how we have no control over it.害羞草研究所�

Paquette adds that while these wildfires are becoming more and more of a reality in B.C., he sees a silver lining.

害羞草研究所淲e love our area and our community, and we want to work around this. Once the fire has gone it害羞草研究所檚 exhausted its fuel, so we don害羞草研究所檛 expect another fire that big anytime soon. Looking back, we could have been better at mitigation, but we have been trying, and it will definitely become more of a priority. There will be more motivation to do stuff on this, because we don害羞草研究所檛 want to suffer any more loss.害羞草研究所�

In the meantime, residents wait to see the full extent of the damage to the community they love.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e not getting our hopes up,害羞草研究所� says Paquette. 害羞草研究所淚t is what it is; we can害羞草研究所檛 change anything. We害羞草研究所檙e hoping.害羞草研究所�