Family defies evacuation order, despite strong wind warnings that could spread flames

KAMLOOPS (NEWS 1130) – More progress has been made fighting large wildfires across much of BC over the past week, but an expected shift in the weather could kick up flames and potentially spark new fires in the Fraser Canyon.

Chief Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek with the BC Wildfire Service says weather remains the main concern.

“The wind speed is going to be variable, depending on the area we’re talking about, generally 20-40 kilometres and hour but certainly in some areas — Fraser Canyon areas like that that are particularly prone to wind, we could be seeing gusts of 70 kilometres an hour in those areas. That level of wind certainly has the prospect to really whip up fire behaviour.”

Skrepnek says possible strong winds is one reason to stay out of the back country.

“When it is this hot and dry and of course with these winds in the forecast, it just makes things all the more volatile in terms of even the use of off-road vehicles, the heat off the exhaust pipe or debris coming off that vehicle could be enough to start a fire.”

Despite those warnings, some families under evacuation order are defiantly refusing to leave their properties.

Ed Monical, a rancher from 108 Mile House, stayed behind a week ago to not only protect his land, but also the homes of his neighbours.

“We had four pick-up trucks with small tanks in the back, like 500 gallon tanks, friends and neighbours and we maintained it and then, I couldn’t get my friends back in here to help us. It was more grief after that –always more and more grief and then, this one guy who’s a local conservation officer and he got in my wife’s face and more or less laughed at her.”

Monical says some of these officers were people he once considered friends, but that’s no longer the case.

“One of them was…. was! He’ll never cross my path ever again,” he adds, claiming he should be allowed to stay on his own personal property.

“But when you team up with another neighbour, we are breaking the law and we had nothing, but grief.”

There are currently 167 active fires across BC, and though none of the largest fires threatening homes in Ashcroft, Williams Lake, Little Fort, 100 Mile House and Quesnel are fully contained, Skrepnek says crews have made some progress.

The Princeton fire, which is an estimated 2,700 hectares in size is currently 10 per cent contained. The Gustafsen fire (5,000 hectares) and Little Fort fires are 20 per cent contained, and the Wildwood fire (2,500 hectares) is about 40 per cent contained.

There are still thousands of people who have been forced from their homes, and Robert Turner with Emergency Management BC says that number is now inching closer to 17,000.

“16,680 of which to 10,115 have registered at reception centres, and in the north, 5,195 currently with group lodging. The Red Cross has registered approx 4,100 families to date.”

Air quality has improved everywhere, except Williams Lake where smoke from several fires in the area continues to cause problems.

Meanwhile, more federal resources have been dedicated to this ongoing crisis.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the creation of a new Cabinet committee to complement on-the-ground efforts.

The team includes Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Defence Miniter Harjit Sajjan.

A news release issued by the Prime Minister’s office doesn’t include any specifics about any new funding from Ottawa.