‘I’m thinking it’s probably gone’: Monte Lake wildfire evacuee unsure if home still standing

MONTE LAKE (NEWS 1130) – As the White Rock Lake wildfire continues to burn through parts of B.C.’s Southern Interior, one resident of Monte Lake who was forced from his home is left wondering if he’ll have anything to go back to.

Sean Tomlin’s property was covered by an evacuation order issued Wednesday night. However, he says he and his family chose to stay, saying the fire didn’t seem to be that close.

He says firefighters came to his home around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, adding, “we believed everything was okay.”

He recalls things moving very quickly.

“We were under the impression that it hadn’t jumped the highway at that point in time, and we were just waiting to see what would happen,” he told NEWS 1130 Friday. “My boss, actually, who works … right across from my house, right by the lake there, he phoned me and said that he had seen a spot fire start up behind my house.”

Tomlin remembers moving up to the highway to see if he could get a look at the fire. It was at that point that he sent his wife and animals to his in-laws’ house to help them pack up.

“At that point I was just trying to gas up vehicles and get anything else I could possibly think of to get out. I remember seeing the flames coming from the Westwold direction towards us, and I could see flames coming down from up top,” he explained, adding he also took some time to help out a neighbour. “We had a couple of hard moments there.”

After having left his home, Tomlin says he turned back to grab something that he had forgotten at home.

Sean Tomlin says he’s not sure if his home in Monte Lake survived the flames from the White Rock Lake wildfire in B.C.’s Interior. (Submitted by Sean Tomlin)

In just minutes, he says fire had surrounding his home.

“I remember shutting the main door, running down the driveway, and something big on fire — I never got to see what it was — fell behind me. It hit one of the big trees at my house, and I remember just turning around to see that the entire tree was instantly engulfed in flames. There was fire coming down the hill behind the house, coming towards us around my neighbour’s house that was in between,” he explained.

He says it was a scramble to get his wife’s family out, noting flames were also encroaching on their home as they were packing.

They headed west toward Kamloops, describing thick smoke filling the air.

The White Rock Lake wildfire has forced the closure of Highway 97 between Kamloops and Vernon. It’s forced hundreds of people from their homes, with Monte Lake losing homes, its general store, and at least one campground.

Tomlin isn’t sure if his home is still one of those still standing.

“At this point in time, just from the way it looked when I was getting out of there, I don’t have high hopes that it’s still there,” he said.

He’s heard from others that some structures in the area of his home have been burned.

“At this point in time, I’m thinking it’s probably gone. I’m hoping for the best, but without actually physically getting to see it at this point in time, it’s kind of hard to tell. But I don’t have too high of hopes, honestly,” he said, fighting back tears.

Tomlin, his wife, and his in-laws are now staying at a friend’s place in the Kamloops area, figuring out their next steps.

He joins others in expressing frustration with how resources are being allocated, saying he felt there should have been “more services” on the White Rock Lake fire.

Related video: Wildfire between Kamloops and Vernon forces widespread evacuation orders

Tomlin admits he doesn’t understand how resources are planned, but feels those that are on the ground are “too spread thin” given the wildfire situation across B.C.

“I just feel that maybe they should have done a little bit more, but that’s not for me to say. I think there should have been more resources, but this fire is completely different, from what they’ve been saying, than anything else. The way it was moving, and the way it was just ripping through — I don’t know if they could have actually stopped it.”

The White Rock Lake fire is now an estimated 45,000 hectares in size, and continues to be classified as “out of control.”

“The BC Wildfire Service is aware of structural loss in Monte Lake, however a full assessment of the extent of loss has not occurred yet by the Regional District due to safety concerns and heavy smoke,” reads an update from the BC Wildfire Service.

The service has been pleading with people to follow evacuation orders immediately, adding those who don’t are putting B.C. first responders at risk.

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