Residents of the tight-knit community of Venables Valley southwest of Ashcroft are trying to remain hopeful as they wait to hear the extent of structure loss in the wake of the Shetland Creek wildfire, which swept through Saranagati village on the evening of July 17.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e heard there is structure loss, but weB次元官网网址檙e uncertain of the numbers, and the fire is still doing its thing,B次元官网网址� says Damodar Paquette, who was evacuated from the community with his wife and two children.

B次元官网网址淲e have an individual going in there from our community to look at the situation, and weB次元官网网址檙e not making any announcements until the damage has been assessed. Right now weB次元官网网址檙e keeping our hopes up, but at the same time we donB次元官网网址檛 want misinformation that will give people false hope.B次元官网网址�

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is putting the preliminary estimate of structures lost at fewer than 10, but officials have not been able to enter the area to do a complete assessment.

Many members of the community of around 80 people were attending a meeting on July 17 that had been called because of the threat of the Shetland Creek wildfire, which started south of the community on July 12.

B次元官网网址淚t was a FireSmart meeting to prepare our homes,B次元官网网址� says Paquette. Venables residents had seen the lightning and thunderstorms at the beginning of the week (B次元官网网址淣ot good newsB次元官网网址�), and knew there was a fire south of them, so the FireSmart meeting was arranged.

It was not the first time that Venables residents had talked about fire mitigation, and Paquette says that steps had been taken in the past to try to mitigate the potential for damage in the case of fire. There had also been training to help people deal with fires, and community members had successfully put out small lightning-caused fires in the past.

However, Paquette adds that a big part of dealing with fires is knowing when to escape.

B次元官网网址淲e knew there was a fire, and that it might stay there or come here, but we didnB次元官网网址檛 have much chance to discuss it,B次元官网网址� says Paquette. B次元官网网址淲e were talking about how to deal with this fire, but it was announcing itself B次元官网网址� it was there in the sky, we saw flames over the ridge B次元官网网址� and it said B次元官网网址楴o, youB次元官网网址檙e going to get out of the wayB次元官网网址� and did its thing.B次元官网网址�

Evacuation was made easier, adds Paquette, because most members of the community were at the meeting and saw the threat.

B次元官网网址淲hen this fire came to our valley there was no B次元官网网址楢re we going to fight this fire?B次元官网网址� It was moving pretty fast and we were seeing trees light up like matches down the valley.

B次元官网网址淭here was no argument; it was B次元官网网址楲etB次元官网网址檚 evacuate now.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Paquette says that what followed was stressful.

B次元官网网址淲e went home filled with adrenalin, and within two hours everyone was out. We had sheep and were trying to get them into our truck, but after an hour of them panicking we were unsuccessful. We have low expectations, but high hopes, that theyB次元官网网址檒l survive, be able to find food and shelter and water.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hoping for the best for them, but we had to have priorities. In the future weB次元官网网址檒l have equipment and training for [getting them out] if it happens again.B次元官网网址�  

When residents left on Wednesday night there was uncertainty about what had happened, and an expectation that the village would be devastated. The next day they heard that the fire had not gone everywhere and that most structures were okay; then the wind picked up and there was another wave of fires in the valley.
Now residents are just waiting for the fire to be gone so that they can get a clear view of the situation.

B次元官网网址淲e will reassess once we know and come up with a plan as a community of how to tackle that,B次元官网网址� says Paquette. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the test of a community. I remain very hopeful. There are plenty of challenges in this world B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 the nature of this world B次元官网网址� and I hope that as a community we can face it. The most important thing is that there were no casualties.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not out of the woods. ItB次元官网网址檚 devastation and part of nature, but at the same time humans have always been able to work around that and find great opportunities. Destruction can lead to new creation, and maybe it will help us rebuild better. We remain hopeful that we will be able to sustain our losses.B次元官网网址�

In the meantime, the residents of Saranagati village have been relocated from Cache Creek to Kamloops. Paquette says that the Kamloops community has been very welcoming, which is helping them greatly, and he and his wife are trying to make sure their children donB次元官网网址檛 feel the weight of the situation.

B次元官网网址淭hey remain in high spirits, and theyB次元官网网址檙e still happy. WeB次元官网网址檙e trying to shelter them as best we can. We havenB次元官网网址檛 told them yet that there are losses. WeB次元官网网址檙e waiting to see the full reality of it.B次元官网网址�

Residents are also trying to gather together on a daily basis, to keep their morale high. B次元官网网址淭his calamity is a great opportunity to bring us closer together and allow us to absorb ourselves in the important things in life, in our spiritual life. Everything else is temporary.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e grateful for all the help and support that friends, and the larger community, have shown. It touches our hearts. And we acknowledge, and are grateful for, all the hard work firefighters are doing in this humongous task of protecting everyone from these wildfires. ItB次元官网网址檚 a devastating force that makes us seem insignificant, but at the same time shows the awesomeness of nature, and how we have no control over it.B次元官网网址�

Paquette adds that while these wildfires are becoming more and more of a reality in B.C., he sees a silver lining.

B次元官网网址淲e love our area and our community, and we want to work around this. Once the fire has gone itB次元官网网址檚 exhausted its fuel, so we donB次元官网网址檛 expect another fire that big anytime soon. Looking back, we could have been better at mitigation, but we have been trying, and it will definitely become more of a priority. There will be more motivation to do stuff on this, because we donB次元官网网址檛 want to suffer any more loss.B次元官网网址�

In the meantime, residents wait to see the full extent of the damage to the community they love.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not getting our hopes up,B次元官网网址� says Paquette. B次元官网网址淚t is what it is; we canB次元官网网址檛 change anything. WeB次元官网网址檙e hoping.B次元官网网址�