Situation ‘deteriorating’ in B.C.

The head of emergency management in British Columbia says the province’s wildfire situation will remain challenging for several weeks with more than 200 fires still burning yesterday.

British Columbia officials are bracing for a lengthy wildfire season as hundreds of blazes burn across the province with no reprieve in sight. About 14,000 people have been displaced by more than 200 wildfires and Bob Turner of Emergency Management BC said the situation is still deteriorating.

“We are looking at many weeks to come of a very challenging environment and public safety will remain the overriding priority of government,” he said.

The Cariboo Regional District expanded an evacuation order on Monday night to cover the Alexis Creek and West Fraser areas in addition to the Kleena Kleene region.

An evacuation alert — which puts residents on notice that they may have to leave with little warning — was issued for the more than 10,000 residents of Williams Lake Monday night. Municipal officials warned that wind and lightning forecast for Wednesday could push fires towards the city at a “rapid pace.”

The Tsilhqot’in Nation, which encompasses six communities near Williams Lake, said four of its communities are threatened and many members have already evacuated. Food, water, fuel and medicine are in short supply, it said in a statement.

Joe Alphonse, chief of the Tl’etinqox community, said in the statement that about 250 to 300 people stayed behind, with some mobilizing to fight the fires and save about 120 homes. He said they have some heavy equipment but he called on the federal and provincial governments to bring in more resources.

“We won’t leave without a fight,” said Alphonse, who is also chairman of the Tsilhqot’in National Government.