More than 100 residents gathered Monday evening at the Midway Resiliency Centre housed in the village’s community hall to hear an update on the Rock Creek fire from BC Wildfire lead coordinator Glen Burgess.
“The fire is now 75 per cent contained and completely surrounded by fire breaks,” said Burgess. “Lately, it has been quite well-behaved.”
According to Burgess, the fire continues to burn inside the perimeter, though crews are working hard to prevent further structural damage. Due to the current weather conditions, however, the actual status of the fire cannot be completely assessed, as air surveillance proves impossible.
“The danger will be when the weather changes” Burgess said. “The winds will come up and blow the smoke out, and then we’ll see what we’ve got and how the wind is going to affect the fire.”
Burgess’ update elicited several rounds of applause, as the audience showed its appreciation for the firefighters’ efforts. Burgess let the residents know that those on the front lines were extremely moved by the community support that they have received since their arrival.
“The guys see all the signs that are posted along the highways, and that really affects them,” Burgess said. “They take pictures which they’ll take home with them or post on their Facebook pages.”
He estimated that firefighters would be in the fire zone for several weeks to come and that residents should expect the fire to smoulder until winter arrives.
Residents also heard from several disaster relief agencies, along with the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB), which outlined their relief efforts going forward.
Clause Burchert spoke on behalf of Samaritan’s Purse, a non-denominational Christian organization that provides disaster relief worldwide.
The organization pledged to assist those residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged by providing equipment and manpower to clean up properties. Volunteers will be recruited to help residents sift through the remains of the burnt structures and recover anything deemed important, as well as help clear concrete slabs in preparation for rebuilding. Burchert was asked if the team would be able to remove the hazardous metal roofing that had survived the fire, and indicated that the equipment they had brought with them would be capable of removing anything the residents required. He did, however, stress that at this early juncture in the recovery operation, a plan for complete removal of debris from the area was not yet in place.
As part of that discussion, Alan Stanley, the regional district’s director of environmental services, informed residents impacted by the fire that the Rock Creek Transfer Station is currently open every day until Sept. 1, and that there will no charge for fire-related waste.
Accompanying the Samaritan’s Purse team are several chaplains, who work alongside the agency providing emotional and spiritual support for those working on the front lines, as well as those impacted in the community.
“We are just here for you.” said one chaplain. “We come from all over and we are here because we care.”
Also providing relief is the Mennonite Disaster Service, which dispatched several members to assist those who are either uninsured or under-insured as they make their way back to a semblance of normalcy.
The Mennonite Disaster Service is a volunteer network of Anabaptist churches that responds to those affected by disasters in Canada and the United States.
Also in attendance were many volunteers from the Red Cross, which was the first relief agency to attend the disaster. Representative Gary Carleton was quick to praise the efforts of Penny Feist and her co-workers for establishing the emergency centre so quickly, and pledged ongoing support for those in need during what he termed as a ‘recovery’ phase. The Red Cross is actively scheduling 45-minute appointments for those affected by the fire, at which time residents will be able to describe their needs going forward.
There were concerns voiced by several residents regarding aspects surrounding the recovery effort. One resident complained about the current location of the Resiliency Centre, which is more than 30 km from Westbridge, where most of the destroyed homes were located. The resident suggested that some people impacted by the fire may not be able to get to the Midway centre, and felt it should be moved to a location closer to the Hwy 33 corridor. In response, RDKB director Vicki Gee outlined the district’s plan to eventually move the centre to the Westbridge Community Hall, though stressed that this plan was in a very early stage and a timeline for re-location was yet to be formulated. Another question related to those residents who had left the area who may need to be contacted and kept apprised of developments. Gee explained that the Red Cross had kept meticulous records since the opening of the Resiliency Centre, and that all the residents who had been registered would be able to be contacted regardless of their current location.
Gee also touched upon the donation situation, suggesting that donors have been so generous that there is now an abundance of clothing and food in place, which is currently being dispatched to various thrift stores and food banks in the area. She also recommended that potential donors contact the Red Cross to determine exactly what victims need prior to making a donation.
For those wishing to make cash donations locally, both the Kettle River Museum and the Kettle River Lions Club have set up fire relief bank accounts at area financial institutions. Lion’s club president Les Jackman informed attendees of Monday’s meeting that the Kettle River Lions Club Fire Relief Fund has been established at the Osoyoos branch of the CIBC, though donations can be made at any CIBC outlet, either in person or electronically. For more information, donors may contact Jackman directly at 250-446-2096.
The Kettle River Museum has set up a fund at the Heritage Credit Union in Greenwood, with all donations going through the museum. The museum can be reached at 250-449-2614.
