Merritt mayor says wildfires causing stress, amid evacuation alert

MERRITT (NEWS 1130) – It’s still unclear what impact — if any — Monday’s rain in Merritt had on the wildfire situation for the community, which remains under evacuation alert.

The city’s mayor says there are a number of unknowns at this time, but one thing is clear: everyone is hoping for relief.

“I’m not sure how we’re sitting right now,” Mayor Linda Brown said Tuesday. “We haven’t heard yet how the rain and the damp air has done anything for the fires. We’re sure hoping for a little bit of relief, but whether that actually is happening, I don’t know.”

Merritt’s evacuation alert was issued because of the “potential danger to life and health” caused by the Lytton Creek wildfire which, as of Monday evening, was an estimated 71,323 hectares in size.

The entire city of Merritt is under an evacuation alert due to the Lytton Creek Wildfire. (Courtesy BC Wildfire Service)

Rain did fall across many parts of B.C. Monday, also bringing lower temperatures. However, conditions remain tinder dry in a number of areas, and the amount of rain that fell was unlikely to be enough to make a significant difference.

Brown says this is an unprecedented time, with many people finding themselves in this situation for the first time in their lives.

“It’s tense, it’s stressful, people are scared. We don’t know what the next moves are, we’re trying to calm each other. We have a number of different needs in the city,” Brown explained. “And just knowing that if we were evacuated, what would we come back to? Would it be a full city, or would it be another Lytton? There’s an awful lot of trepidation, anger, frustration — you name the response and I’m sure we’ve got people who have it here. There’s a lot of tension in the air.”

As the wildfire situation continues to raise major concerns province-wide, Brown says work has and is being done to help many of those who are most vulnerable.

“Because we’re on alert, Interior Health stepped in and they took the residents that are needing that immediate move, needing a lot of help with that, they’ve already taken them to other facilities in Interior Health,” the mayor explained.

Should the evacuation alert be upgraded to an order, people are being asked to head to the Chilliwack and Fraser Valley area.

Brown says the reason is to help alleviate any stress on other communities already dealing with wildfire evacuees, or even wildfires of their own.

“The only accommodation areas that are opening up for us is the Lower Mainland, and Chilliwack is the closest community at this point,” she told NEWS 1130. “Now, things may change if we ever have to evacuate, and we’ll be ready to make that change. But right now, we’re looking at going to Chilliwack.”

Adding to concerns was the two-day closure of a stretch of the Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Hope. While detours were available along Highway 3 and then Highway 5A, the Coquihalla provides the most direct route out for evacuees.

As of Tuesday midday, the Coquihalla Highway had re-opened, with a travel advisory in effect due to wildfires. DriveBC says the highway is open for essential travel only.

Related video: Wildfires close B.C.’s Coquihalla Highway

“No facilities available. No stopping. No access to on/off ramps,” a DriveBC Tweet says.

Related articles: 

• Coquihalla closure overwhelming route through Princeton, mayor wants province to step in

• Travel warning issued due to wildfires in B.C. Interior

• Wildfires near Merritt, Kamloops, West Kelowna threaten homes, close Coquihalla Highway

There are more than 260 wildfires burning across B.C., with dozens of large ones in the southern Interior.

On Monday, B.C.’s public safety minister doubled down on his messaging for people to avoid all non-essential travel to wildfire-affected areas of the province.

“Given the conditions we’re seeing in our communities and on our highways, I want to be clear: do not travel to fire-affected areas for non-essential reasons,” Mike Farnworth said, adding, “If you are planning to travel to those areas, it’s time to change your plans.”