The first Cariboo wildfire evacuation alert of 2024 has been issued.
It is not a full order to evacuate, but it is the official prompt from wildfire and government officials that everyone in the specified area should be ready to roll on a moment’s notice.
The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) announced at 8:23 p.m. on April 21 that the critical “get ready to go” message had been applied for the Burgess Creek area. This is about 45 kms southeast of Quesnel and approximately the same distance northeast of Williams Lake. It is directly east of the communities of Alexandria and Windt Creek by about 30 kms.
The affected area encompasses all of Ben Lake and stretches north to encompass all of Beedy Creek at the end of Beavermouth Road, near the intersection of Crestwood Road alongside Quesnel Hydraulic Road.
“This alert covers 3,283 hectares,” said the CRD’s statement. It applies to six parcels of land in the Burgess Creek vicinity, “because of the potential danger to life and health.”
Residents across the Cariboo can use this as the first example of the annual risk posed by wildfire. In moderate to dry seasons, forested areas anywhere may experience a wildfire, and that includes almost the entirety of the immediate region and the non-urban bulk of the province.
“An Evacuation Alert has been issued to give you time to prepare to evacuate your premises or property should it be required,” said the CRD’s statement for the Burgess Creek residents. “Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible if an evacuation order is required; however, we may not have time to go door-to-door due to changing conditions.”
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO WHEN AN ALERT IS IN EFFECT
Upon notification of an ALERT, you should be prepared for an evacuation order:
- Have a plan to transport all family members or co-workers outside of the area, should the area be brought under evacuation order.
- Make grab-and-go bags for each member of your household to keep essential items readily available for a quick departure. Pack clothing, ready-to-eat food, toiletries, medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (i.e. insurance), immediate care needs for dependents and, if you choose, keepsakes (photographs, etc.).
- Ensure that any dependents or pets are prepared for departure. Gather comfort items (blankets, stuffed animals, etc.) for your dependents to make an evacuation less stressful. Gather any kennels or leashes to make transportation safe with your pets.
- Move pets and livestock to a safe area if they cannot be evacuated. Ensure water and feed are available.
- Keep the fuel tanks of personal vehicles full in case a new order is issued.
- Ensure that you have accommodation options for your family, if possible. An Evacuee Reception Centre will be made available if required. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than ESS will be able to.
- In the event you are evacuated, do not shut off your natural gas. For more information, visit fortisbc.com/forestfires.
- Monitor reliable news sources for information on evacuation orders and locations of Reception Centres and the CRD’s channels on Facebook and cariboord.ca.
- If you are on an evacuation ALERT, or if you have been displaced from your home due to an emergency, please self-register for Emergency Support Services. You will need to sign up for the BC Services Card app to access the self-registration tool, which will reduce wait times for evacuees and assist in the referral process. https://ess.gov.bc.ca/
Residents are encouraged to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text, call or email regarding Evacuation Alerts and Orders.
For Cariboo Regional District information, please visit Cariboo Regional District’s website, Emergency Operations Centre Facebook page, Twitter / X feed, or call the CRD’s emergency information line at 1-866-759-4977 (open tonight until 9:00 p.m. and then from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday).