The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says a number of rebuilding projects are underway, after the devastation caused by last summer’s Bush Creek East fire.

The CSRD’s Tracy Hughes says a blanket moratorium on the issuance of new building permits in fire-affected areas was lifted in October last year.

“We’ve got people contacted. Our development services department is working on things, they’re starting to get permits, so things are definitely starting to happen.”

“We’ll see of course building season is on the way, and so we’re expecting a bit of an uptick in some of those applications to be coming through here shortly.”

Hughes says the that also includes the rebuilding of the Scotch Creek-Lee Creek fire hall. The Fire station and the community centre were located in a single building, with the CSRD mulling over whether to rebuild the two facilities as separate buildings.

“So there is work going on behind the scenes, work with our insurance company to get that project kicked into high gear,” Hughes said. “I don’t have any more specifics at this point, but I can tell you it definitely is a top priority project.”

The 456-square kilometre Bush Creek East fire destroyed 176 homes and cabins in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. About 50 other CSRD properties were partially damaged by the fire, which went on a massive 20-kilometre run in mid-August, because of sustained winds brought on by a cold front.

Another nine properties were destroyed in the Adams Lake area of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, with 85 structures on Skwla̓x te Secwe̓pemcu̓lecw land also destroyed.

The CSRD is also asking its residents to share what their experiences were during last summer’s Bush Creek East wildfire, so it can make changes ahead of the 2024 wildfire season.