RDOS reception centre registers dozens of fire evacuees

Herald staff

Officials at an emergency reception centre in Penticton had registered 83 fire evacuees as of 1:30 p.m. Monday, according to an information officer from the Regional District of OkanaganSimilkameen.

Cameroun Baughen said most of those to whom he spoke at the centre, which opened Sunday, were from Williams Lake and planned to stay with friends or family in the Penticton area.

An evacuation order was issued Saturday evening for the Cariboo city of 10,000 people, which is surrounded by wildfires.

There are an estimated 40,000 people out of their homes across B.C., leading to the establishment of 11 reception centres across the province to aid those evacuees.

Meanwhile, the wildfire north of Princeton that led to evacuations of 350 properties there was listed at 3,300 hectares as of Monday afternoon, unchanged from a day earlier, with 50 per cent containment.

“Possible burn outs will occur in various locations as weather and conditions permit. Some areas may experience increased smoke,” the BC Wildfire Service said on its website.

“Crews will continue to build hand guard and establish hose lays around the perimeter of the fire.”

The service had 200 firefighters, 10 helicopters and 30 pieces of heavy equipment at the scene.

Fire information meetings are scheduled for later today in the area. The first is at 4 p.m. at the Princeton Riverside Community Centre at 148 Old Hedley Rd. The second is at 6 p.m. at the Erris Volunteer Fire Hall at 2254 Princeton-Summerland Rd.