Still, he described the detour as a “long, very dusty, very dirty, windy road” that’s seeing a lot of traffic, including some people driving in unsuitable vehicles. Tofino Mayor Dan Law said food, fuel and other supplies are coming into his community and people who need to travel are finding their way out. “All travellers are urged to avoid travel along the detour route before, during and after the closure because commercial trucks will be queuing for passage,” the Ministry of Transport said in a statement. The BC Wildfire Service says the blaze is among just over 80 active wildfires in the province, including the two-square-kilometre fire that has closed the Vancouver Island highway connecting Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet to the rest of the island.Ī four-hour, back-road detour allowing limited movement in and out of the area was also set to be closed for much of Friday as a vehicle was pulled from a lake.
That could complicate efforts to fight the West Kiskatinaw River wildfire, which has burned 96 square kilometres of bush and timber east of Tumbler Ridge in the three days since it was discovered. “So, they were happy, you know, playing the whole time.”Įnvironment Canada says Tumbler Ridge and Dawson Creek are experiencing heavy smoke and temperatures almost 10 degrees above normal. We just are making it as a fun road trip for them,” she said. “They know there’s a fire, but they’re not panicking. Once her family and their pets were safe, they could settle in for a “great weekend” with the friends hosting them, though her young children may not fully understand what’s happening, she said. John, about 170 kilometres north, waiting out the evacuation order. “I just kept getting phone calls and phone calls of all these people who were willing to help, so that made me feel good that strangers were willing to help, like, no questions asked,” Chisholm said.Ĭhisholm, her husband and their two children are now staying with friends in Fort St.
She said she had arranged with someone at the local saddle club to get it out, but then the highway to Dawson Creek was blocked off.Ĭhisholm put out a public plea for help moving her animal to safety.
Michelle Chisholm and her family had their bags packed with all the essentials, including camping gear, when the order to evacuate forced them to leave Tumbler Ridge on Thursday.Ĭhisholm, who has lived in the community for 10 years, said her dilemma was dealing with her horse since she doesn’t have a trailer. We’re seeing the fire growing with the wind, but also against the wind,” Desrosiers said. “Since this fire started, we have seen extreme fire behaviour, incredibly intense not only for this time of year, but just in general. Officials say a wind shift on Saturday could change the direction of the out-of-control West Kiskatinaw River wildfire, helping the firefighting effort. “We won’t put our folks in the line of fire or in imminent danger to rescue those that have chosen to stay behind,” she said.Ĭurry said the priority for emergency crews in Tumbler Ridge is to protect the town’s critical infrastructure, including Tumbler Ridge’s main water reservoir. “That can be catastrophic, so I would say the message to those folks that have chosen to stay behind is that if it does become imminent and they choose to leave it can come down to it being too late to be able to escape safely,” she said.ĭesrosiers said those who refused to leave should not count on being rescued. Some are emergency personnel, while some are “residents that have refused to leave.”īC Wildfire Service information officer Karley Desrosiers said the “aggressive wildfire” is threatening infrastructure, including power, cellphone service and roads. Tumbler Ridge Fire Chief Dustin Curry told a news conference that about 150 people remain in town. On Thursday, about 2,200 residents fled the community, on the foothills of the Rockies in northeastern B.C. VANCOUVER - An “incredibly intense” wildfire is just a few kilometres away from the British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge, fire officials said Friday.
0 kommentar(er)
