The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) has upped the numbers of homes lost to wildfires in the area to 41.
“It is quite likely the number will go up,” says CRD Chair Al Richmond. Many areas have been too hot or dangerous for assessment teams to reach so far.
To date, the CRD has only announced two homes lost in the South Cariboo region, to families in the 108 Mile Ranch area. Four houses, a shop and a shed were also announced as lost earlier in the 150 Mile House area.
Related: Family home burned to ground
It’s only been the past two days that assessments have been completed in the Abel Lake Road, Lily Pad Lake Road and Exeter McKinley areas, some of the first to be evacuated in the CRD.
“We’re presently trying to contact those people,” says Richmond.
Richmond says he is unable to give a breakdown until he has finished contacting the people who have lost their homes, something that is proving difficult because of how evacuees have dispersed.
“Finding them is a problem because everyone is listed by home number, and there are no cell numbers [and] everyone has relocated,” he says.
Related: Two homes lost in 108, none in 100 Mile
“I would like to express my sincere regrets to those who have lost homes and other structures in the Cariboo region. I encourage our communities to extend love and support to these families as we do so well here in the Cariboo,” says Richmond. “Also, thank you to the BC Wildfire Service and all the structural firefighters who continue to work so hard to protect our communities. I cannot express how thankful we are for your continued efforts.”
