Structures in the North Shuswap are believed to have been lost to the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire.
A sombre Derek Sutherland, director of the Shuswap Emergency ProgramB次元官网网址檚 (SEP) Emergency Operations Centre, confirmed Friday night, Aug. 18, that the fire hall in Scotch Creek had burned down. He said the Squilax gas station is also believed to have burned down. Sutherland hasnB次元官网网址檛 been able to confirm the loss of the gas station or other structures, but said, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been absolutely the most devastating day of wildfire in the ShuswapB次元官网网址檚 history.B次元官网网址
Salmon Arm resident Brandi Butts said her husband is in the process of evacuating firefighters from the area via school bus. She said the community has been reporting the loss of the fire hall and other structures in and around Scotch Creek.
B次元官网网址淥ne firefighter watched his house burn down,B次元官网网址 said Butts.
Exhausted Electoral Area F director Jay Simpson said he hasnB次元官网网址檛 seen whatB次元官网网址檚 happened in Scotch Creek but he had heard the school caught fire. Simpson said he was busy using his boat to evacuate people from Scotch Creek.
B次元官网网址淎ll I could hear were booms, which I assume were propane tanks,B次元官网网址 said Simpson. B次元官网网址淭he fire went up and also razed the bench, the agriculture areas above Celista.
B次元官网网址淚 hear rumours, I really donB次元官网网址檛 know any factsB次元官网网址 we moved firefighters from Scotch Creek to Magna Bay by water because they couldnB次元官网网址檛 get there by road.B次元官网网址
Simpson wasnB次元官网网址檛 optimistic about what Saturday morning will reveal. Sutherland said he and the emergency program is going to try and get some B次元官网网址渟ituational awareness.B次元官网网址
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 going to be the focus B次元官网网址 try to do some rapid damage assessments,B次元官网网址 said Sutherland. B次元官网网址淎nd then weB次元官网网址檙e going to try to wrap our heads around this whole situation because itB次元官网网址檚 a lot and itB次元官网网址檚 been a really, really tough day.B次元官网网址
Read more:
Read more:
lachlan@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on
for our newsletter to get Salmon Arm stories in your inbox every morning.