‘This isn’t a suggestion, it is the law’: B.C. urges people to obey wildfire orders

As a volatile wildfire season and ongoing drought conditions continue to challenge crews across B.C., the province is urging people to do their part to help alleviate stress on firefighters.

B.C. Premier David Eby says his government is doing what it can to support those displaced and affected by flames. However, he says it’s critical everyone heed warnings and follow orders — including the essential-travel-only order in place for the Okanagan region.

B.C. Premier David Eby speaks in Vancouver on Monday August 21, 2023.

“It is critical that we keep the roads clear, that we keep the hotels available for people, and be cautious out there. It is a very dangerous and fluid situation still,” Eby said Monday.

He touched on reports that surfaced over the weekend that some people were tampering with and moving firefighter equipment, saying this can have a detrimental effect on efforts.

“We’ll put the best possible understanding on this that people think they’re helping. They are not. You’re not helping if you’re moving firefighter equipment … And when it’s not there when the firefighters go to get it, that is a big problem. So please do not tamper with firefighter equipment,” the premier added, also addressing reports of “mischief in some areas … including theft.”

His messaging was echoed by Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma, who did not mince words in her plea to those ignoring evacuation orders.

“I know that this is said every time that we are up here but it bears repeating because I cannot stress it enough: If you are under an evacuation order, you must leave immediately. This isn’t a suggestion, it is the law,” she said. 

Bowinn Ma speaks in Vancouver on Monday August 21, 2023.

“You may think that you are helping yourself or your neighbours by staying behind or supporting individuals who are staying behind with food or supply runs, but you are not. You’re making a highly dangerous situation even more dangerous for everyone involved.”

On Friday, B.C. declared a provincial state of emergency due to the hundreds of wildfires burning. Shortly after that declaration, the province announced travel restrictions for the Okanagan, where the McDougall Creek fire has destroyed at least 50 structures.

Eby says it’s likely many of these structures were people’s homes.

“It is reasonable to assume that most, if not all, of the structures, are homes, which means that these are families who have lost everything. It is also probably news that is only going to get worse as assessments continue,” he said.

Ma says more than 27,000 people were under evacuation order provincially as of noon Monday. More than 35,000 remain on evacuation alert.

BC Wildfire not only prioritizing McDougall Creek fire: official

Cliff Chapman, director of Provincial Operations for the BC Wildfire Service, says crews continue to work as hard as possible to get people back into their homes and communities as soon as they can, safely.

He says there have been questions about how resources have been prioritized, with claims suggesting the McDougall Creek fire has taken the focus. However, he is stressing that this is not the case.

“Let me be very clear: we are not only prioritizing the McDougall fire in West Kelowna and Kelowna. We have multiple priority fires across the province, particularly centred in the southern portion of the province, including but not limited to the Adams Lake Complex, Kookipi Creek wildfire, the Bendor Complex, which is in and around Lillooet, Lytton, as well as the fires that are in the Ashnola and a couple in the southeast,” Chapman explained.

“For clarity, we have 164 people assigned to the McDougall Creek wildfire in Kelowna and West Kelowna. There are 385 people assigned to the Adams Lake Complex. There’s over 130 people assigned to Kookipi Creek, and there’s over 180 resources assigned to the Bendor Complex in the Fraser Canyon.”

Chapman says resources are moved “based on where the most potential and significant impact of the fires will be to life and property.”

“That will continue for the rest of the fire season,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the BC Wildfire Service says it is still seeing “extreme fire behaviour” in parts of the province. However, Chapman says that is not the case everywhere.

“Where we continue to see aggressive fire behaviour is in the Fraser Canyon, and that’s due to the sustained winds of the valley and the valley orientation north to south in that valley,” he said.

Related articles: 

• At least 50 structures destroyed by West Kelowna wildfire

• Travel restrictions for Okanagan area due to wildfires: province

• Shuswap-area wildfire ‘one of the most aggressive’ in B.C. firefighting history: officials

Overall, the province is also continuing to see drought conditions, with most of B.C. at a level three or above.

Chapman says there are currently about 3,500 people engaged in fire response across B.C. Additional international resources are also being brought in, with 100 firefighters from Mexico set to arrive Tuesday, and 200 South Africans expected later in the week.