Photo via CSRD
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District is asking people who do not live in the Adams Lake area full-time to move out of the area that is under an evacuation alert due to the Lower East Adams Lake Wildfire.
Spokesperson Tracy Hughes says the majority of the 92 CSRD properties east of Adams Lake that are on alert are primarily recreational properties, and that only about a dozen are used around the year.
“There is a bit of a transportation pinch point in that area in that we have ferry service and then people’s personal boats only,” Hughes told Radio NL. “What we are asking is that they really consider going now, so that if we get to an order stage, we can move those remaining permanent residents out as quickly as possible.”
“Because of these transportation issues, we are really being extra cautious and we really want people to take this seriously.”
A view of the Lower East Adams Lake Fire from Adams Lake, Northwest of Dorian Bay on July 23, 2023 (Photo via NEP)
She says there are additional staff members on standby at the Adams Lake Ferry, in case an evacuation is ordered.
“Our neighbourhood emergency program coordinators are going through the community determining who is still there and trying to come up with a plan,” Hughes said.
“The fire is creeping down, slowly, but it is creeping, and so we’re are wanting to be prudent here. We don’t want to be in a situation where residents are being stuck at those transportation pinch points in case of an order.”
The TNRD also has an evacuation alert for one property in the area while the Adams Lake Indian Band has an alert in place for an unknown number of properties on Chief Atahm Drive and Stalnac Way.
Hughes also says the CSRD has also moved its Structure Protection Unit into the area from Salmon Arm, in case it is needed.
The fire is an estimated 2,000 hectares in size – 20 sq. km. – as of the most recent update Monday morning.
“BCWS is reporting the potential for less severe fire behaviour in the coming days, however, this is entirely dependent on weather conditions,” Hughes added.
“It is unsafe for BCWS to use ground crews to fight the fire, so limited assistance is being provided by helicopter support. BCWS is also using helicopter resources to fight the Bush Creek East blaze across the lake from this fire.”
Now estimated to be around 600 hectares in size, the Bush Creek East fire prompted the TNRD to issue an evacuation alert for a dozen properties north of Sun Peaks on Sunday.
Both these lightning-caused fires have been burning since July 12.
