Premier David Eby made a stop over in Kamloops today as part of a broader tour of fire-affected areas in the Southern Interior.

The premier, with his Emergency Management Minister, Bowinn Ma, Forests Minister, Bruce Ralston, and the Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister, Harjit Sajjan, in-tow, stopped by a camp in Rayleigh, north of Kamloops on Tk’emlúps land, to visit the 50 or so evacuees who are there.

The camp is housing members of the Squilax Nation in the Shuswap, which saw a wide swath of its territory over-run by the Bush Creek East fire.

Evacuation orders are in place for the band’s Quaaout 1, Chum Creek 2, Meadow Creek 3, and Scotch Creek 4 reserves, while the North Bay 5 reserve, near Tappen, remains on alert at this time.

Eby says the situation they’re in is devastating.

“Speaking to the chief in that community, and people who have been evacuated from there,” Eby said on the NL Noon Report. “It was great to see the camp being set up and within a few hours being able to house people.”

“They faced devastating losses. Happily some structures survived, their Cultural Centre and some elders housing, but just devastating loss.”

In a statement Monday, Skwla̓x te Secwe̓pemcu̓lecw (Little Shuswap Lake Band) Kukpi7 James Tomma said all 347 band members have been accounted for. He also said the extent of the damage is not known as it is still being assessed.

Sources to Radio NL also confirmed there were no injuries among non-band members who lease about 150 lots from the Little Shuswap Lake Band on the Quaaout 1 reserve, in the Little Shuswap Lake area.

Eby also suggests as the wildfire situation seems to worsen due to climate change, more camps like the one he visited may be needed.

“I think the regularity with which we’re seeing these devastating fires due to climate change is really disturbing to many people and leading to discussions about how we –essentially — institutionalize some of these responses by having more a permanent presence,” he said.

“It is certainly possible that we’ll need to have more permanent structures in place to be able to respond… It’s terrible, but it’s certainly reality.”

Eby’s comments come as more than 30,000 British Columbians are on evacuation order, noting a fraction of those numbers are showing in camps similar to the one he stopped at today, while suggesting many are staying with friends and family.

In terms of formal government support, Eby says its important evacuees register by phone or at any of the centers, to recieve “direct financial support” to help pay for hotels, meals or other essential items.

“That will also assist us in supporting people who are in the process of needing to be able to return to community or aren’t sure what impact there’s been on their homes, and to give them the information that they need.”

The Premier’s tour through fire zones in the southern Interior includes planned stops in Penticton and Kelowna.

“Our goal is to reassure people we’ll be there to help rebuild and get info from the front line to make sure government is responsive,” he said Monday. “We’re working with the Federal Government supporting people in the aftermath of this disaster they’re facing.”