Date: August 11, 2017
Dear Area F resident
Today, we issued two new evacuation orders in Area F: Maeford Lake and the north and west of Quesnel Lake. Details of the orders and maps can be found on our website. Those affected by these orders, and the others already in place must leave immediately, in a calm and orderly fashion, and proceed to a safe spot. If you need Emergency Social Services to help with lodging, you should proceed to Prince George, where ESS is located in the Civic Centre as of today. You can register for Red Cross there as well, or at the Resiliency Centre in Williams Lake. You can also register for Red Cross on line or by phone. Please respect these orders; they are put in place for your safety. If you do not leave, you may not be able to later if you change your mind, and you should know that you could be hindering the firefighting efforts by staying. Additionally, it is illegal to endanger minor children by keeping them with you.
Again, if you are on evacuation alert, you should remain packed and ready to leave on short notice at all times. Every time you leave your home, you should be aware you may not be allowed back, and you should take your valuables and your suitcase with you. You should also have an escape plan for your pets, in case you can’t get back to them. I know it’s getting old, but this is just as important today as it was a month ago. Likely and Horsefly are the only parts of Area F that are not on alert or order as of today. It is still important for all residents to remain vigilant and aware of the fires around you at all times.
Today, the BC Wildfire Service imposed a ban on activities in the backcountry throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre due to the extreme fire risk. This has led to lots of debate, and has taken a lot of time answering questions. I will post a couple of links at the end of this update to the notice, and some FAQs. I have also provided some clarification courtesy of MLA Corilee Oakes’s office:
1) A Forest Service Road is not a highway. Forest Service Roads are closed to the public unless one of the exemptions in the order applies.
2) Under the ban only commercial boat launches would be open. All others are closed to the public unless an exemption in the order applies.
3) Under the order, principal residences are exempt. Seasonal residences are not.
4) Under the order, commercial activities and ranching activities are exempt.
If further clarity is needed, we suggest that you call the Cariboo Fire Centre at 250-989-2600.
The Horsefly Road, the Likely Road, and the Beaver Lake Road are all open today. The Beaver Valley Road is closed to through traffic due to the Prouton Lakes fire. The Ditch Road, a Forest Service Road, is closed except as above. The 8400 Road between Likely and Wells/Barkerville is closed except as above, and it is closed to through traffic due to wildfire activity at Maeford Lake.
I highly recommend watching the daily update video each evening for detailed updates. For those who are unable to watch because of slow internet, here are some of the highlights from last evening specific to our area. (Note: some of the information below is taken from the BC Wildfire website):
Sincerely,
Joan Sorley
Director, Cariboo Regional District Area "F"
PO Box 147
Big Lake Ranch, BC V0L 1G0
250-243-2261, e-mail: [email protected]
Please pass along this report to anyone you feel may be interested. If you would like to be removed from my distribution list, please let me know.
Phone numbers:
EOC Info line: 1-866-759-4977
Forest fire reporting: 1-800-663-5555, or *5555 on your cell
Cariboo Fire centre: 250-989-2600
SPCA: 1-855-622-7722 weekdays 9am to 5:30 pm
Red Cross: 1-800-863-6582
Important links
To register for updates: https://member.everbridge.net/index/453003085612292#/login
Cariboo Regional District Emergency Operations Centre: http://cariboord.ca/services/emergency-and-protective-services/emergency-operations-centre-eoc
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CRDEmergencyOperations/
Drive BC for highway information: http://www.drivebc.ca/#listView
BC Wildfire service interactive map: http://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a1e7b1ecb1514974a9ca00bdbfffa3b1&mobileBreakPoint=300
Link to BC Wildfire Backcountry Ban announcement: http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/wildfirenews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=2848
Link to BC Wildfire FAQs on backcountry ban: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/wildfire-status/fire-bans-and-restrictions/faq_cariboo_fc_area_restriction_aug_11_2017.pdf
BC Parks: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/
Link to daily video update: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk6Y8zWI_hHJXMgSIiJB-9w
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joan-Sorley-Cariboo-Regional-District-Director-Area-F
Red Cross: www.redcross.ca
Dear Area F resident
Today, we issued two new evacuation orders in Area F: Maeford Lake and the north and west of Quesnel Lake. Details of the orders and maps can be found on our website. Those affected by these orders, and the others already in place must leave immediately, in a calm and orderly fashion, and proceed to a safe spot. If you need Emergency Social Services to help with lodging, you should proceed to Prince George, where ESS is located in the Civic Centre as of today. You can register for Red Cross there as well, or at the Resiliency Centre in Williams Lake. You can also register for Red Cross on line or by phone. Please respect these orders; they are put in place for your safety. If you do not leave, you may not be able to later if you change your mind, and you should know that you could be hindering the firefighting efforts by staying. Additionally, it is illegal to endanger minor children by keeping them with you.
Again, if you are on evacuation alert, you should remain packed and ready to leave on short notice at all times. Every time you leave your home, you should be aware you may not be allowed back, and you should take your valuables and your suitcase with you. You should also have an escape plan for your pets, in case you can’t get back to them. I know it’s getting old, but this is just as important today as it was a month ago. Likely and Horsefly are the only parts of Area F that are not on alert or order as of today. It is still important for all residents to remain vigilant and aware of the fires around you at all times.
Today, the BC Wildfire Service imposed a ban on activities in the backcountry throughout the Cariboo Fire Centre due to the extreme fire risk. This has led to lots of debate, and has taken a lot of time answering questions. I will post a couple of links at the end of this update to the notice, and some FAQs. I have also provided some clarification courtesy of MLA Corilee Oakes’s office:
1) A Forest Service Road is not a highway. Forest Service Roads are closed to the public unless one of the exemptions in the order applies.
2) Under the ban only commercial boat launches would be open. All others are closed to the public unless an exemption in the order applies.
3) Under the order, principal residences are exempt. Seasonal residences are not.
4) Under the order, commercial activities and ranching activities are exempt.
If further clarity is needed, we suggest that you call the Cariboo Fire Centre at 250-989-2600.
The Horsefly Road, the Likely Road, and the Beaver Lake Road are all open today. The Beaver Valley Road is closed to through traffic due to the Prouton Lakes fire. The Ditch Road, a Forest Service Road, is closed except as above. The 8400 Road between Likely and Wells/Barkerville is closed except as above, and it is closed to through traffic due to wildfire activity at Maeford Lake.
I highly recommend watching the daily update video each evening for detailed updates. For those who are unable to watch because of slow internet, here are some of the highlights from last evening specific to our area. (Note: some of the information below is taken from the BC Wildfire website):
- The weather forecast is for increased winds gusting up to 40km/h with a risk of lightning Saturday evening up until mid-day Sunday. Unfortunately that may bring with it increased wind, and increased fire activity. Crews are preparing for this.
- There will be no changes to existing evacuation orders over the weekend. This will be reassessed on Monday, and over the coming week.
- The Prouton Lakes fire, as of 8:30 this morning, is estimated at 518 ha. The Gavin Lake fire is still shown at 160ha.
- The Tasse Lake fire (Grain Creek) is estimated at 344ha as of 8:30 this morning. The Abbott Creek fire (C31169, listed as Valley E of Mt. Brew) is estimated at 1161ha. The Blackbear Creek fire is still listed at 144ha, and Quesnel Lakeis listed at 517 ha. The Kangaroo fire (C31645) is estimated at 17.1 ha. The Antoine Lake fire is still listed at 197 ha.
- There has been no real change to report in the Spokin Lake fire. It remains active as there is a lot of unburnt fuel still within the perimeter, but it has not grown, and is still approximately 20% contained. Most of the activity is in the SE corner, and crews are also concentrating their effort in the northern half of that fire to enable a plan for safe re-entry for those folks who have been out of their homes for a very long time. Please be assured that residents will be allowed home again as soon as that safety can be determined, and as I said earlier, that will be reassessed on Monday.
- There is nothing new to report on the Wildwood fire. It is still considered 20% contained, and has stayed within the perimeter.
Sincerely,
Joan Sorley
Director, Cariboo Regional District Area "F"
PO Box 147
Big Lake Ranch, BC V0L 1G0
250-243-2261, e-mail: [email protected]
Please pass along this report to anyone you feel may be interested. If you would like to be removed from my distribution list, please let me know.
Phone numbers:
EOC Info line: 1-866-759-4977
Forest fire reporting: 1-800-663-5555, or *5555 on your cell
Cariboo Fire centre: 250-989-2600
SPCA: 1-855-622-7722 weekdays 9am to 5:30 pm
Red Cross: 1-800-863-6582
Important links
To register for updates: https://member.everbridge.net/index/453003085612292#/login
Cariboo Regional District Emergency Operations Centre: http://cariboord.ca/services/emergency-and-protective-services/emergency-operations-centre-eoc
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CRDEmergencyOperations/
Drive BC for highway information: http://www.drivebc.ca/#listView
BC Wildfire service interactive map: http://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a1e7b1ecb1514974a9ca00bdbfffa3b1&mobileBreakPoint=300
Link to BC Wildfire Backcountry Ban announcement: http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/wildfirenews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=2848
Link to BC Wildfire FAQs on backcountry ban: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/wildfire-status/fire-bans-and-restrictions/faq_cariboo_fc_area_restriction_aug_11_2017.pdf
BC Parks: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/
Link to daily video update: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk6Y8zWI_hHJXMgSIiJB-9w
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joan-Sorley-Cariboo-Regional-District-Director-Area-F
Red Cross: www.redcross.ca