B.C. wildfire evacuees return home to assess the damage, start to rebuild

More wildfire evacuees in British Columbia were allowed to return home Saturday, as emergency officials downgrade evacuation orders to alerts around the community of Clinton.

The changeover began at 8 a.m., with the bulk of the updated alert area stretching north and east of Clinton, along Highway 97 to past 70 Mile House.

But for many, there aren’t even homes to return to.

Larabie, owner of Steve’s Towing and Auto Repair, said it’s heart-wrenching to see the devastation from the fires on his properties, and now he is trying to clean up as much as he can.

Larabie said he probably has to sleep in tents for a while.

“What else am I supposed to do?” asked Larabie.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District said areas west of the town, from the Kelly Lake substation, north to the district’s border, remain under evacuation orders due to the continued threat posed by the Pear Lake wildfire.

In a special update posted to YouTube, Clinton Mayor Roland Stanke said even though people are being allowed to go home, they will be returning to a community that has been profoundly affected, with the services people normally rely on limited or unavailable, and the threat of wildfire season still looming.

Although Larabie has lost everything in flames, he is still eager to step up to help the community, saying he has been offering to pick up fridges and freezers free of charge to support others.

Nicolas Kosovic, who runs The Stagecoach Cafe in Clinton with his mother, Maria, said he was also “super duper busy” on Saturday. He had just finished the “intense” process of cleaning out his store’s freezers and fridges.

“Everything was spoiled in our fridges, of course,” said Kosovic, who had to evacuate weeks ago as gusty winds pushed the fire over the southern hills of the village.

The re-entry into the town has been emotional, Kosovic said.

On one hand, he is happy to get back to his house and his café, but he said it’s discouraging when passing by the south side of Clinton where homes have been burned out.

“It’s not going to be a perfect re-entry into Clinton. Nothing is going to ever feel perfect,” Kosovic said.

“It is going to be a kind of bittersweet mix of emotions in the next week, on the first day, and for the months ahead, but the community is already coming together,” he said. “We’re going to be able to get through this.”

He said fire crews are still working in and around town, busy stomping out hot spots.

Meanwhile, a re-entry guide posted by the District of Summerland, aimed at Trout Creek residents, warns that the community may have changed dramatically, with blackened trees, smoke in the air, and missing landmarks.

Evacuation orders for parts of Summerland and Peachland on the shores of Okanagan Lake are slowly starting to lift, about a week after the Bald Range fire forced the evacuation of more than 20,000 people.

The guide said some homes and properties don’t have power, and the district is still under a boil-water notice with water restrictions.

It suggests that people return home with a kit that includes a flashlight, cleaning supplies, a first-aid kit, and a camera to record the property’s condition for insurance purposes.

Officials have also warned those returning that there are several bears in the Trout Creek area and residents need to dispose of their spoiled food properly.

The Bald Range wildfire near Summerland is one of about 120 fires burning in the province, with 38 per cent of those labelled as out of control.

Thousands of residents are still out of their homes, with 45 separate evacuation orders issued for numerous fires burning in the southern one-third of the province.

An update from BC Wildfire Service said weather conditions remain variable across the province, with hot and dry weather lingering in the northwestern and southern regions while the southeastern part of the province will continue to see cooler temperatures and scattered showers.

The service said wildfire smoke is expected to gradually move back into central areas of B.C. over the weekend.

“While smoke can impact visibility and air quality, it may also help moderate fire behaviour by reducing the amount of radiant heat reaching the landscape,” the service said.

B.C.’s fire season started fast and early, and already about 400 buildings have been destroyed, including about 230 homes on the Okanagan Indian Band reserve that were lost in the Bradley Creek wildfire.

In Clinton, Kosovic said he will cook all day to make sure that their stock is up.

He said he will keep himself busy on Sunday by picking up fridges with Larabie and cleaning them up.

“I’m just eager to get to work,” Kosovic said.

Looking ahead, Larabie still clung to hope despite everything he has been through.

“I worked hard my whole life, and now I have nothing. I never once turned anybody down. I never said I wouldn’t help anybody. I always helped people. I always did everything I could to make sure that anybody that had no food had food,” Larabie said.

“You know what? I will make it. I will survive, and I will get through this, and I will rebuild either by myself with my own two hands, or with the help of others,” he added.

by The Canadian Press

B.C. wildfire evacuees return home to assess the damage, start to rebuild

What's Trending