FULL UPDATE: B.C. premier, provincial officials on wildfires

SET UP SHELTERS AND PREPARE FOR EVACUATION. LET’S GO LIVE TO VANCOUVER BC. WE ARE GETTING AN UPDATE ON THE WILDFIRE SITUATION THERE. >> HARROWING STORIES ABOUT LAST NIGHT, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE LOCAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE ASSISTING AND MEETING EMERGENCY RESPONSE EFFORTS ON THE GROUNDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL.

MY CURRENT SITUATION IS GRIM. WE HAVE 35,000 PEOPLE IN THE PROVINCE. IT’S A FLUID SITUATION BUT ABOUT 35,000 PEOPLE. WE ARE ON EVACUATION ORDER RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE ON ADVISORY THAT WITHIN A MATTER OF HOURS COULD RECEIVE NOTICE THAT THEY ARE ON EVACUATION ORDER AS WELL.

IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO ACCESS MY GRATITUDE TO PEOPLE WHO HEARD OUR CALL YESTERDAY NOT TO TRAVEL IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO. IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON VISITING THE OKANAGAN AREA, VISITING FIRE AFFECTED AREAS, TOURISTS GOING TO A HOTEL, THE FACT THAT YOU STAYED HOME WE KNOW IT’S

CHALLENGING, WE KNOW YOU HAD PLANS ANDREA GRATEFUL FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STAY OFF THE ROADS. WE HAVE AN URGENT NEED FOR MORE CONNOTATION GIVEN THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WERE BEING EVACUATED, AND WHO ARE UNDER ADVISORY. SITUATION CHANGES VERY QUICKLY GIVEN THE DRY CONDITIONS AND THE WINDS.

AS A RESULT WILL BE ISSUING A NEW BORDER UNDER THE EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES GOVERNMENT HAS, AND THIS IS SPECIFIC TO ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE FOR EVACUEES, FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SO THAT THEY HAVE PLACES TO STAY, AS THEY RESPOND TO THE FRONT LINE AND HAVE TO EVACUATE, AND FOR

FAMILIES, SENIORS AND OTHERS WHO ARE FLEEING, FIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE TO STAY. WE NEED TO ENSURE THIS ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE SPECIFICALLY THIS ORDER WILL RESTRICT TRAVEL AND FIRE AFFECTED AREAS WHEN YOU’RE TRAVELLING FOR THE PERSISTING IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION LIKE A HOTEL, MOTEL PROVINCIAL PARK, PUBLIC CAMPGROUNDS.

THIS ORDER SAYS STAY OFF THE ROADS FOR TOURIST RELATED, NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO STAY IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. THIS ORDER AGAIN IS AIMED AT ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR LEAVING THEIR HOMES HOMES WHO MAY LOSE THEIR HOMES. FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS WORKING THE FRONT LINE FOR EVERYBODY.

MINISTER MUNGALL FOLLOW ME TO PROVIDE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS ORDER BUT WE SHOULD NOT NEED IN ORDER. PLEASE JUST STAY OUT OF THESE AREAS IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THERE, IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS OR FAMILY THAT ARE PLANNING ON TRAVELLING MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE INCREDIBLE

SENSITIVITY AT THIS TIME AND FIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE THAT FURTHER DEVELOPMENT FROM YESTERDAY, PEOPLE IN THE PROVINCE ARE CERTAINLY AWARE AND GRATEFUL TO THE RCMP FOR ENSURING THE PROVINCIAL RESOURCES ARE DEPLOYED TO FIRE AFFECTED AREAS. PEOPLE LEAVE THE HOMES BEHIND, THE BELONGINGS BEHIND, WHEN THEY

FLEE FIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITY THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT SECURITY, WORRIED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE NOT THERE. AND IN ADDITION EVACUATION OFTEN MEANS THE ASSISTANCE OF POLICE GRATEFUL TO THE RCMP FOR THE PROVINCIAL RESOURCES THEY HAVE DEPLOYED. YESTERDAY SOLICITOR GENERAL AUTHORIZED EAST OF EMERGENCY PROVISIONS UNDER OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE RCMP THEN ENABLES

ADDITIONAL MUNICIPAL RCMP RESOURCES TO BE DEPLOYED TO FIRE AFFECTED AREAS TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE, THAT PEOPLE’S BELONGINGS ARE PROTECTED WHEN THEY HAVE TO EVACUATE, AND TO ASSIST WITH EVACUATION PROCESSES. MINISTER PUBLIC SAFETY WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY SOCA MUSIC SAFE AND PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND PROTECTED.

IN CLOSING I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY ALERT FOR ALERTS. HE MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE ON VERY SHORT NOTICE FROM COMMUNITIES. CONDITIONS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS CAN PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IS HERE WITH YOU. I SPOKE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER THIS AFTERNOON.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WORKING WITH US ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED PROVINCIALLY, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE WORKING WITH US AS WELL. WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AND HAVE YOUR BACK AND WE WILL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES. WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO IS

WORKING RIGHT NOW TO PROTECT BRITISH COLUMBIANS AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH ALL THE FAMILIES, ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE HOMES RIGHT NOW. WE WILL SUPPORT YOU. THAT’LL TURN OVER TO MINISTER MA >> THANK YOU SO MUCH PREMIER. IT AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS BOWINN MA MINISTER OF

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE READINESS SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY FROM THE TERRITORIES OF THE MUSKY HIM SQAMISH AND TSLEIL-WAUTUTH. LAST NIGHT WE DECLARED A PROVINCIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY GIVEN SEVERE AND FAST-CHANGING WILDFIRES THE SITUATION WE ARE CURRENTLY FACING. THIS DECLARATION GIVES THE PROVINCE EXTRAORDINARY POWERS TO KEEP PEOPLE COMMUNITIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE.

THE SITUATION IS HIGHLY DYNAMIC AND THE NUMBERS ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME. BUT AS OF NOW WE ARE CURRENTLY HOVERING AT ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE ON EVACUATION ORDER, AND AN ADDITIONAL 36,000 PEOPLE ON EVACUATION ALERT. PEOPLE, FAMILIES, FIREFIGHTERS END OF THE FRONT AND RESPONDERS NEED A SAFE PLACE TO STAY DURING

THIS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT TIME AND THAT’S WHY AS PREMIER DAVID EBY HAS ALREADY DESCRIBED, WE ARE INTRODUCING TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS IN THE OKANAGAN. UNDER THIS ORDER WE ARE RESTRICTING TRAVEL TO SEVERAL COMMITTEES FOR ANYONE PLANNING ON STAYING IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS. THIS INCLUDES KELOWNA KAMLOOPS, OLIVER, OSOYOOS, PENTICTON AND LET ME BE CLEAR.

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION THE AREAS I HAVE LIFTED ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR NONESSENTIAL VISITS. IF YOU DO NOT NEED TO TRAVEL TO THESE AREAS FOR ESSENTIAL REASONS WE NEED YOU TO CHANGE YOUR PLANS. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT ACCOMMODATIONS LIKE HOTELS AND MOTELS ARE AVAILABLE FOR EVACUEES AND FRONT-LINE RESPONDERS IN THE OKANAGAN.

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN ACCOMMODATIONS IN THESE AREAS WE ARE ASKING YOU TO VOLUNTARILY CHECK OUT EARLY AND FREE OF THOSE SPACES FOR EVACUEES AND RESPONDERS. I WANT TO THANK THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION AND ACCOMMODATION PROVIDERS FOR THEIR COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION WITH US ALREADY AND THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS ONLY CANCELLED THE PLANS TO

TRAVEL TO THE OKANAGAN. YOUR EFFORTS ARE HELPING. AND I STRONGLY URGE EVERYONE TO AVOID TRAVELLING ANYWHERE IN THE CENTRAL INTERIOR AND SOUTHEAST FOR NONESSENTIAL REASONS INCLUDING THE SHUSWAP AND THE OKANAGAN. THIS DECISION WAS NOT MADE LIGHTLY BUT IT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS IS A CHALLENGING TIME FOR EVERYONE.

IN MY HEART IS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOME, AND THOSE WERE GETTING PREPARED TO LEAVE IF NEEDED. THE PROVINCE IS CONTINUING TO ASSESS THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US AND THE PROVINCIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY AND WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN ORDER TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS WE HAVE BEEN HEARING STORIES OF PEOPLE OFFERING THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR HOMES TO EVACUEES. AND THIS GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT TO WORKING TOGETHER AS A TESTAMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, AND TOGETHER WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MINISTER RALSTON I WANT TO EXTEND ONCE MORE MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE AND RECOGNITION TO THE IMMENSELY COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUALS OF THE BC WILDFIRE SERVICE CONTRACTORS LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT’S, RCMP AND ALL OTHER EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY THAT’S BEEN EXHIBITED NOT OVER THE OVER THE

LAST FEW DAYS BUT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE WILDFIRE SEASON. IT DESERVES OUR MOST ADMIRATION. THANK YOU. ALTERNATE OVER TO MINISTER RALSTON. SPEE THINK SO MUCH IN GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M BRUCE RALSTON MINISTER OF FORESTS AND I AM HONOURED TO BE SPEAKING FROM THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF THE MUSQUEAM, SQUAMISH AND TSLEIL-WAUTUTH PEOPLES.

BEFORE I BEGIN MY BRIEF COMMENTS I WANT HER KNOWLEDGE EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE WAS AFFECTED BY THE HORRIFIC WILDFIRES IMPACTING OUR PROVINCE. THE PEOPLE, I KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE EXTRACTION IS DEVASTATING AND THE LOSSES ARE HEAVY. OUR TOP PRIORITIES IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE’S LIVES AND PROPERTY BUT

I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACTS TO WILD STOCK OR LIVESTOCK PARTICULARLY IN THE GREATER CREEK AREA. THIS IS AN UNCERTAIN TIME AND OUR HEARTS AND THOUGHTS ARE WITH ALL OF YOU, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR PEOPLE ARE WITH YOU AS WELL. OUR CREWS AND PARTNERS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP

PEOPLE SAFE. ARE EXPERTS OF THE BC WILDFIRE SERVICE CONTINUED TO WATCH THE WEATHER VERY CLOSELY. WE EXPECT THAT TODAY WILL BE ANOTHER CHALLENGING DAY BUT WE ARE PREPARED. THERE’S CURRENTLY 380 WILDFIRES BURNING ACROSS BRITISH COLUMBIA. 15 OF THOSE ARE WILDFIRES OF NOTE. THERE’S APPROXIMATELY 3,000400 PERSONNEL DIRECTLY ENGAGE IN WILDFIRE RESPONSES ACROSS THE

PROVINCE. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS FROM AUSTRALIA, MEXICO, BRAZIL AND COSTA RICA AS WELL AS INCOMING FIREFIGHTERS FROM MEXICO, ONTARIO AND EASTERN CANADA. THESE FOLKS ARE IN ADDITION TO THE THOUSANDS OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS ALREADY ENGAGED IN THE FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS. I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE THANKS TO THE MANY

MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM AROUND BRITISH COLUMBIA WHO HAVE COME TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS. THERE’S TOO MANY TO NAME INDIVIDUALLY BUT I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF THE PROVINCE. AGAIN I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS THIS HAS BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT WILDFIRE SEASON. IT IS IMMENSELY STRESSFUL LIVING

DAY TO DAY WITH SMOKE OR NEAR A FIRE OR BEING ON AN EVACUATION ALERT OR ORDER. ON BEHALF OF ALL BRITISH COLUMBIANS THINK YOU TO FIREFIGHTERS, FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS WHO ARE WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT TO PREPARE AND RESPOND TO THESE CHALLENGES. I WANT TO ASSURE BRITISH

COLUMBIANS THAT WE ARE WORKING HARD TO ENSURE COMMUNITIES ARE PREPARED AND HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. MENTIONED THIS YESTERDAY AND I KNOW THAT POLICE HAVE ECHOED THE SAME CONCERNS, DRONES ARE SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO AIRCREWS FIGHTING FIRES. KELOWNA AREA RCMP HAVE SAID THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE UNFORTUNATELY.

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE TAKING FOOTAGE OR PHOTOGRAPHS OF ACTIVE WILDFIRES. NOT ONLY IS IT IRRESPONSIBLE, BUT IT IS ILLEGAL TO FLY THEM IN FIRE AREAS. LIKEWISE THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE BOATING ON LAKES WHERE AIR TANKERS ARE LANDING TO USE THE LIKE TO REFILL.

KEEP BOATS AWAY FROM AREAS WHERE OTHER PLANES AND HELICOPTERS ARE OPERATING. LASTLY I WANT TO THANK ALL BRITISH COLUMBIANS WHO REMAIN DILIGENT AND AWARE IN THE MIDST OF A VERY CHALLENGING WILDFIRE SITUATION. OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. WE WILL SUPPORT YOU THROUGH THE

WORST OF THIS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU AS WE LOOK FORWARD TOWARDS RECOVERY. I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CLIFF. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH MINISTER RALSTON, MINISTER MARTIN PREMIER DAVID EBY. I AM HONOURED TO JOIN TODAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF SUD-OUEST. I MET OUR PROVINCIAL WILDFIRE

CORONATION CENTRE IN KAMLOOPS BC. AND I’M GOING TO PROVIDE A RUNTHROUGH OF FIRES AS I DID YESTERDAY WITH AN ASSOCIATED SLIDE DECK. BEFORE I GET IN TO THE FIRE RUNDOWN WHICH WILL BE SLIGHTLY BRIEFER THAN YESTERDAY AS WE HAVE ADAMS LAKE COMPLEX AND THE MCDOUGALL FIRE INFORMATION OFFICERS ON THE LINE WHO CAN

TAKE QUESTIONS AFTER THE BRIEFING TODAY. SO I WON’T SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS I DID YESTERDAY. I ALSO WANT TO OFFER MY CONDOLENCES, AND WITH THE IMPACTS OF FIRES, IN PARTICULAR YESTERDAY IN THE SHUSWAP AREA, THE ADAMS LAKE AREA AND I WANT TO THINK OF THE RESIDENTS THERE WHO ADHERED TO THE EVACUATION

ORDERS. THE FIRE IN THAT AREA YESTERDAY WAS EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE. AS WE HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION TO CALL THE EVACUATION ORDER AND GET EVERYBODY OUT SAFELY. I WANT TO THANK ANYBODY FOR DOING THAT IN A CLIENT AND DELIVER IT WAY, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE COULD GET TO SAFETY.

I ALSO WANT TO ISSUE AND OFFER MY THANKS TO THE THOUSANDS OF RESPONDERS WHO ARE CONTINUALLY SHOWING UP DATE IN AND OUT, EVERY NIGHT TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITIES IN BC. AS MINISTER RALSTON SAID WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT EFFORT FROM MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM ACROSS BC AND

WE CONTINUE TO SEE MORE STEPPING UP EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT THE SHUSWAP KELOWNA AND ANY OTHER FIRE THAT WE MAY SEE. ALSO WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK FIRST NATIONS COMMITTEES FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF GIVING CREW RESOURCES AND SINGLE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT INCIDENTS AND YOUR LOCAL EOCS AND THAT

ALSO GOES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND CONTRACTED RESOURCES. WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AS WE CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THIS CHALLENGING SEASON. I’M JUST GOING TO PULL UP THE BRIEF SLIDE DECK TO GO THROUGH, AND I’LL JUST LOOK FOR CONFIRMATION WHEN IT CAN BE SEEN.

AND I SEE A THUMBS UP. THANK YOU. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOUR IN THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE PROVINCE. WE HAD OVER THE LAST 48 HOURS, WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE WORST CONDITIONS AT THIS PROVINCES EVER FACED. AS IT PERTAINS TO WILDFIRES ON

THE LAND BASE, AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SEEN THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS OF THAT FIRE BEHAVIOUR, WHETHER IT BE WEST KELOWNA CAT KELOWNA THE SHUSWAP AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES OVER THE LAST 48 HOURS WHO HAVE BEEN FEELING THE ANXIETY AND STRESS OF FIRES. THE PICTURE YOU SEE HERE IS OF KOOKIPI CREEK FIRE IN THE

COASTAL FIRE CENTRE AND YOU CAN SEE HOW AGGRESSIVE THE FIRE BEHAVIOUR IS AS THIS FIRE WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON. I’M JUST GOING TO DO A RUNTHROUGH STARTING AT ADAMS LAKE MOVING TO MCDOUGALL AND THEN TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THE OTHER FIRES HERE TODAY.

I WILL TRY TO LEAD THE SLIDES UP SO CAN READ THE UPDATE OF WHAT’S OCCURRING AS I BRIEFLY SPEAK TO THE MAP ITSELF. SO YOU SEE IN THE MAP THE ADAMS LAKE COMPLEX WHICH HAS 2 FIRES WHICH ESSENTIALLY ARE 1 FIRE THAT HAVE COMBINED ABOUT STILL

SEE IT AS 2 FIRES, 1 ON EAST ADAMS LAKE, AND THE OTHER IS BUSH CREEK. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE RED DOTS ON THE MAP WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE GROWTH FROM YESTERDAY, YOU CAN SEE THIS FIRE MADE A SIGNIFICANT RUN TOWARDS THE SHUSWAP, NORTHERN END OF THE SHUSWAP AS WELL AS TOWARDS

HIGHWAY 1 SORRENTO AND CHASE. IT DID CROSS HIGHWAY 1 WHICH WE BRIEFLY CLOSED OR RECLOSE YESTERDAY EVENING AND REISSUED, OR RECOMMEND A LARGE-SCALE EVACUATION ORDER FOR MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA. THIS FIRE MADE A RUN YESTERDAY IN UNDER 12 HOURS OF OVER 20 KILOMETRES. THAT’S A SIGNIFICANT FIRE RUN

FOR THIS PROVINCE AND IT WAS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING CONDITIONS TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE OUT AND I AM THANKFUL THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO REASSESS ON THIS FIRE. ARE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS BEEN OUT MAKING A REASSESSMENT WITH THE GROWTH FROM YESTERDAY. WE WILL, WE HAVE DEVELOPED AND

PLAN. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE STRUCTURE PROTECTION AND AVIATION RESOURCES WORKING TO PROTECT STRUCTURES IN THE AREA. AS WE HAVE SEEN THERE HAVE BEEN IMPACTS TO STRUCTURES IN THE AREA OF NORTH SHUSWAP AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS OF THIS FIRE. AS I MOVE ON TO MCDOUGALL I WILL JUST QUICKLY SAY FOR THE

EVACUATION PEOPLE AND EVACUATION ORDER, AGAIN I JUST WANT TO REITERATE PLEASE DO NOT HEAD TOWARDS THE SHUSWAP OR ANYWHERE IN THAT AREA AS I BELIEVE MINISTER MARK HUBBARD QUITE WELL WITH THE NEW ORDER COMING INTO PLACE. THE NEXT FIRE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT QUICKLY AS THE MCDOUGALL

FIRE IN WEST KELOWNA AS WELL AS THE FIRE THAT’S ACROSS THE LAKE IN KELOWNA PROPER. THE MCDOUGALL FIRE LAST NIGHT AM PLEASED TO REPORT AS OF THIS MORNING THERE WERE NO NEW CONFIRMED STRUCTURAL LOSSES ON THAT FIRE. AGAIN WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WORKFORCE AND COMPANY SHOULD

WITH RBC WILDFIRE SERVICE STAFF AND INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM. RUNNING A UNIFIED COMMAND ON THIS AREA. WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE HOMES IN KELOWNA AS WELL AS WEST KELOWNA, AND WORKING TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS WILDFIRE. YOU CAN SEE BY THE RED DOTS THAT WE DID SEE GROWTH IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.

HOWEVER, AS I STATED AND I WANT TO STATE AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS THANKS TO HARD WORK FROM SO MANY INDIVIDUALS ON THE GROUND. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFIRMED ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL LOSSES FROM LAST NIGHT AND WE DID HAVE TO DO DEAL WITH WIND THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. SO IT WAS REALLY THANKS TO THE

HARD WORK AND THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND. MOVING INTO THE FRASER CANYON NOW THIS IS THE KOOKIPI CREEK FIRE IN THE FRASER CANYON. AS A CITY YESTERDAY THIS FIRE CAME OUT OF THE NAHATLATCH VALLEY INTO THE FRASER CANYON TONIGHT TO GO. WE DIDN’T SEE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH ON THIS FIRE YESTERDAY WHICH IS

A REALLY GOOD THING. THE HIGHWAY REMAINS CLOSED AND IMPACTED. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE RAIL COMPANIES ON THIS FIRE TO TRY TO ALLOW INTERMITTENT RAIL TRAFFIC TO CONTINUE WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. THIS FIRE TODAY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SEE SOME GROWTH TO

THE NORTH, AND OUR CREWS AND OUR TEAM THAT’S IN PLACES WORKING WITH THE RESOURCES THEY CAN TO TRY TO SECURE THE NORTH EDGE OF THIS FIRE. BUT AGAIN THE CONDITIONS ARE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING IN CANYON AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW THAT VALLEY KNOW THAT THE WINDS ARE USUALLY QUITE A BIT STRONGER IN THAT

VALLEY THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN BC. AS WE LOOK AT THE COMPLEX WHICH IS THIS JUST NORTH OF THE KOOKIPI CREEK FIRE IT COMPRISED OF 3 FIRES. WE DID SEE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH ON THE DOWNTON LIKE FIRE NEAR GUN LAKE. YOU CAN SEE IN THE UPPER MAP, THE RED DOTS LOOKING AS IF THAT

FIRE HAS POTENTIALLY DOUBLED IN SIZE. EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOUR OBSERVED ON THIS FIRE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS AND WE EXPECT TODAY TO SEE ADDITIONAL FIRE BEHAVIOUR. I THINK THE POSITIVE ON THIS FIRE AS WELL AS THE STEIN FIRE IS UP UNTIL THIS POINT WE HAVE SOMEWHAT BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE

KEEPING OUT OF THE FRASER VALLEY OR THE FRASER CANYON WHICH OBVIOUSLY ALLOWS THEM NOT TO BE HIT BY THOSE WINDS I SPOKE ABOUT ON THE KOOKIPI CREEK FIRE. A NEW FIRE THAT WASN’T ON THE BRIEFING YESTERDAY IS THE UPPER PARK RAIL CREEK FIRE. THIS FIRE IS ESTIMATED AT JUST

UNDER 1100 HECTARES IN SIZE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, AND IF YOU CAN SEE IT I WILL LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS OKANAGAN’S FALLS IN YOUR BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE MAP AND OLIVER IS IN YOUR BOTTOM LEFT SO JUST GIVES MORNING ORIENTATION OF WHERE THIS FIRE IS.

WE ARE SEEING SOME SUCCESS WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND WORKING ON GUARDS TO TRY TO BOXES FIRE IN AND HOPEFULLY HAVE SUCCESS WITH OUR SUPPRESSION EFFORTS. AND THEN CREATOR CREEK WHICH IS IN THE NATIONAL LAW, AT THE BOTTOM ARE FAR SOUTH OF THE KAMLOOPS FIRE CENTRE AND BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

SIGNIFICANT FIRE BEHAVIOUR TO THE SOUTH ON THIS FIRE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE RED DOTS ON THIS MAP. THE FIRE HAS PUSHED INTO UNITED STATES WHICH WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS IN THE US TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A COORDINATED RESPONSE TO BOTH THE

CANADIAN AND US SIDE OF HIS VERY LARGE FIRE. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS FIRE IS ESTIMATED AT 37,000 HECTARES AND WE ANTICIPATE IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. SO WITH THAT I

B.C. Premier David Eby and provincial officials give an update on the fight against wildfires in the province.

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