More evacuations around Shuswap Lake due to encroaching fires
Posted July 22, 2021 10:30 am.
Last Updated July 22, 2021 5:35 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Wildfires have forced more evacuations in Sicamous Thursday morning after thousands were told to leave their homes Tuesday night.
Also, more residents of Central Kootney have been ordered to leave their homes. Currently the Regional District of Central Kootenay has ordered more than 170 properties to evacuate.
The BC Wildfire Service says the 26-square kilometre Trozzo wildfire has been powered by the winds, forcing an overall evacuation of 356 properties such as the communities of Needles and Edgewood and Lower Arrow Lake.
Other B.C. residents have been forced from their homes due to strong winds fanning wildfires in the southeastern part of the province.
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The Forest Ministry says 277 active wildfires are burning in B.C and while 4,351 properties have been evacuated, there are many more residents on alert to leave their homes possibly.
Throughout the Central Interior, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued evacuation orders for more than 100 properties north of Kamloops and Lillooet.
As part of your #BCwildfire emergency planning, consider where you would stay if you had to evacuate. If possible, best option is to arrange to stay with family or friends so commercial accommodations have capacity for evacuees with no other option
Info: https://t.co/5mrarhF9UA pic.twitter.com/YCEzl5ST8U
— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) July 21, 2021
The Osoyoos Indian Band has partially lifted an evacuation order, allowing residents of 176 properties to go home, as the BC Wildfire Services could tell citizens to leave their properties on short notice because the wildfire is still out of control and other evacuation orders and alerts are still in place.
Hunakwa Lake wildfire which has already burned 11 square kilometres of land, is now spreading south. While most citizens of nearby Seymour Arm have left, many properties are still under an evacuation alert.
With files from Mike Lloyd, Canadian Press
