Saturday August 19, 2023 | VANCOUVER, BC [Posted at 1:50 pm, last updated 9 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends | ALSO SEE: SMOKY SKIES ADVISORIES
READER COMMENTS WELCOME (on any news issue): letters@islandsocialtrends.com
Today’s update about the BC wildfire emergency focused on an emergency order specific to the Okanagan area.
Temporary accommodations are now not available to tourists and temporary use; hotels and other accommodations are being held for use by first responders and wildfire evacuees. “If you’re already in temporary accommodation, talk to the operator and go home early,” said Premier David Eby.
With thousands of people evacuated in the Okanagan, this travel order will help make sure there is accommodation for evacuees and emergency personnel who need it.
The order will impact tourism operations and people taking summer vacations. “I think people understand that but the purpose of the order is to underline it,” said Eby.
As well, roads are not to be used for casual non-essential travel.
Other reminders:
- no use of overhead drones during wildfires (illegal and irresponsible)
- no boating on the lakes where firefighter air tankers are reloading with water
Today’s session follows last night’s State of Emergency announcement:
Today’s session started around 1:12 pm, livestreamed and available to media. The session was led by Premier David Eby, along with Minister Bowinn Ma (Emergency Management and Climate Readiness) and Minister Bruce Ralston (Forests).
Last night at 6:15 pm Premier David Eby declared a province-wide State of Emergency, to free up any resources that are not already being accessed or provided. [See August 18, 2023 BC Government Wildfire State of Emergency News Release]
Evacuation orders:
“If you are placed on evacuation order, please leave your residence,” said Director of Provincial Operations for BC Wildfire Service, Cliff Chapman.
“If you’re ready and prepared you will be calm,” said Chapman in yesterday’s briefing. “It has been excellent cooperation from the majority of the province” up until now, said Chapman.
People are to follow instructions from local governments and First Nations governments.
There are presently 30,000 people on evacuation order, with another 35,000 on evacuation alert.
There was government assistance to help 53 people from a senior care home in Chase be evacuated to Kamloops, as their community was on evacuation alert.
Harrowing night:
“It was a very harrowing night” for structural firefighters last night, said Forrest Tower, fire information officer, Lower East Adams Lake wildfire.
Smoke in urban areas:
Due to the wildfires there is smoky air in many parts of BC, including on Vancouver Island.
Minister Ma says people should wear a N95 mask and set up a HEPA filter when they can.
A Smoky Skies bulletin issued today August 19 by the Air Quality Section (Assessments and Stewardship) of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy includes a map which shows smoky skies for the south Vancouver Island area.
Other smoky air impacts:
Where wildlife is impacted by the wildfires the animals may come closer to urban areas.
Agriculture may be impacted if plants are impacted by smoke or fire retardant chemicals in the smoke.
Also on today’s call:
Brendan Ralfs, director, regional operations, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, was also on today’s call. Folks on the west shore may remember Ralfs as a BC Green candidate in Langford-Juan de Fuca in the 2017 provincial election.
===== RELATED:
State of Emergency called due to wildfire (August 18, 2023)
BC preparing for extreme fire conditions & accepting NWT evacuees (August 17, 2023)