An evacuation order has been issued for the entire Village of Slocan, home to around 380 people at the south end of Slocan Lake, effective 8 a.m. PT Sunday, due to increasing fire activity from the Ponderosa wildfire, now mapped at 6.3 square kilometres, and the Mulvey Creek wildfire at 10.6 square kilometres.
An updated estimate on Sunday morning from the Regional District of Central Kootenay shows that 867 properties in the Slocan Lake wildfire complex, which includes Slocan and surrounding areas, were on evacuation order.
The announcement comes in response to recommendations from the BC Wildfire Service, which is anticipating a warming and drying trend along with elevated winds in the coming days, said Dan Elliott, RDCK Communications Officer.
Evacuees are directed to head south to the Emergency Support Services reception centre at Selkirk College near Castlegar, B.C. Slocan is located around 145 km east of Kelowna as the crow flies in B.C.’s southeast.
“We understand that everyone is frustrated, nervous, and stressed in these situations, so we aim to provide as much information and time as possible for residents to prepare to leave,” Elliott told CBC News.
The RDCK had previously ordered evacuations for properties in the nearby Village of Silverton, about 28 kilometres north of Slocan, due to the Aylwin Creek wildfire.
A Saturday advisory from multiple health authorities warns that communities in the Southern Interior and Kootenays are being impacted or are likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next few days.
“People with pre-existing health conditions, respiratory infections such as COVID-19, older adults, pregnant women and infants, children, and sensitive individuals are more likely to experience health effects from smoke exposure,” the bulletin stated.
RDCK Media Release – Evacuation Order issued for Village of Slocan and surrounding areas due to the Slocan Lake Complex wildfire – effective at 8:00 am PST, Sunday, July 28. Follow the link for the complete details and impacted addresses: <a href=”https://t.co/lfuSOX8suE”>https://t.co/lfuSOX8suE</a> <a href=”https://t.co/6pR8ihEzpf”>pic.twitter.com/6pR8ihEzpf</a>
—@RDofCK
Jessica Lunn, the mayor of Slocan, said that locals had been preparing to leave for four days — but acknowledged there was a lot of angst and stress in the community.
“It’s a unique situation where we had a thunderstorm, lightning blow through, and so many fires started right within the region,” she told CBC News. “It really does feel like we’re surrounded.”
Cool, wet weather helping wildfire fight in B.C.
Meanwhile, wildfire officials said the risk level in B.C. is improving thanks to rainfall and cooler temperatures in many areas. However, health officials said southeastern parts of the province should expect smoky skies through the weekend.
A situational update from the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said fire behaviour has reduced on some of the major fires, and cool and showery conditions are expected for the western half of the province on Sunday, reaching parts of the Interior as well.
There are about 385 fires burning across the province as of Saturday afternoon, including six that are considered “of note” because they pose a threat to people or property or are highly visible.
“In terms of those that are currently burning, half of those are out of control, meaning we are anticipating further growth,” said BCWS information officer Erika Berg.
“But then the other half of those are either being held or under control, which speaks to our containment progress, the work being done both on the ground, and then the bit of help from Mother Nature.”
Some evacuation orders and alerts have also been downgraded, adding further encouraging signs on the wildfire situation, she said.
“Despite a number of evacuation downgrades and rescindments, wildfires continue to impact communities across the province,” a recent statement from BCWS said.
The wildfire service said crews continue to work on the Antler Creek wildfire in the province’s Cariboo region, and that fire behaviour “has reduced over the last few days due to successful suppression efforts and a downturn in weather.”
Crews are “making good progress” containing the 55-square-kilometre Dogtooth Forest Service Road fire near Golden, B.C., that destroyed as many as six homes in the region earlier this week.
The service said crews alongside local fire departments are working to contain the blaze on the east side of the Columbia River, as helicopters continue bucketing near the fire’s edge.
Significant progress has been made in containing the Old Man Lake wildfire, which is burning in Sooke Potholes Regional Park, according to Coastal Fire Centre information officer Kimberly Kelly.
“The west length of the fire along the Sooke River is almost 100 per cent contained,” she said. “There has been some incremental growth on the east flank of this fire.”
The fire, located nine kilometres north of Sooke, is not considered to pose any risk to the community as of now, said Kelly.
The Town of Golden said in an update that weather in the region remains stable, but it is warning residents that conditions can change quickly.
It said 28 properties on the west side of the river remain on evacuation order, while more than 1,000 properties in the region remain on alert.