Some of the damage in Scotch Creek. (Photo via Jay Simpson)
The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District says at least 131 homes and other structures within its jurisdiction were destroyed by the Bush Creek East fire.
Emergency Operations Centre Director, Derek Sutherland, says a survey by the Canada Task Force 1 search and rescue team indicated a further 37 structures suffered partial damage.
“These are preliminary,” Sutherland said Friday.
“There are areas that Canada Task Force 1 wasn’t able to get to because of danger trees and dangerous situations, and firefighting efforts in the area. So we’re not sure what is exactly happening in those areas, but these are the numbers that we have at the moment.”
Information Officer, Tracy Hughes, said cheers broke out in the emergency operations centre when the search team reported that no lives had been lost.
“This is why public safety safety continues to be our number one priority,” Hughes said. “This is still an unsafe situation. This is why we’re making the decisions that we are making to ensure that that number doesn’t change.”
The CSRD has released an interactive online portal where people will be able to search for the status of their properties.
“The CSRD is committed to supporting community members during this challenging time, and will be individually contacting property owners to facilitate and to assist you,” Erick Thompson, another Information Officer, said.
People in need of assistance are also being told to contact the CSRD Emergency Operations Centre at 250-833-3350.
The Lower East Adams Lake fire – which has since merged with the Bush Creek East Fire – went on a 20 kilometre run last Friday, fuelled by 40 km/hr sustained winds from the north brought on by a cold front.
Meanwhile, the Little Shuswap Lake Band said at least 31 homes were damaged by the same fire.
Another 11 properties in the southern Adams Lake area of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District had some kind of structural impacts caused by the Bush Creek East fire.
Evacuation orders and alerts remain in effect for all three communities as well as the Adams Lake Indian Band, Neskonlith Indian Band, and the Village of Chase.
