Logan Lake resident shares ‘scary’ evacuation experience

LOGAN LAKE (NEWS 1130) — An evacuee of Logan Lake is sharing her story, after being told Thursday afternoon she had just minutes to live her home, with a raging wildfire bearing down.

Glenda Jansen says it’s a surreal feeling to be grabbing whatever you can, and leaving your home wondering if you’ll ever see it again.

“After we got here … I’m like, ‘Why did I grab that?’ Our fridge was full … we had a block of Gouda cheese and a whole bunch of stuff like that, and I grab hamburger relish, and I don’t even like hamburgers,” Jansen laughs.

Video shows smoky mass exit from Logan Lake yesterday after entire community (~2,000 ppl.) was ordered to evacuate b/c of Tremont Creek wildfire. People told to go to Chilliwack because there’s no room in nearby Merritt or Ashcroft. More on @NEWS1130 (Kelly Allen) pic.twitter.com/qCyD2RqaFJ

— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) August 13, 2021

The entire community of Logan Lake was evacuated Thursday due to the Tremont Creek wildfire.

Jansen says though the experience was scary, she’s thankful the crews helping to get everyone out were so organized.

“It was really orderly. Neighbours were helping neighbours load up. The sirens were going all over town. There were emergency vehicles everywhere,” she says.

Jansen says she grabbed what was most important, including photos.

“There were family photos of my great great grandparents and distant relatives that can’t be replaced,” she says.

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Luckily, Jansen and her family were able to stay with her mother in Merritt, after only moving to Logan Lake 10 months ago.

“We’re new to the community and people would say to me, so do you regret moving to Logan Lake now that you’re going through this, and honestly I don’t, because the sense of community is amazing, and I feel privileged to be part of that,” she says.

Now that she’s out of Logan Lake, Jansen says she’s been extremely impressed with the outreach of support.

“People reached out with acreages, and property, and motorhomes, and rooms, and basement suites, and so on. So it was pretty, pretty awesome to see the community spirit pull together,” she says.

– With files from Renee Bernard