Chilliwack residents have a couple more days to offer some tangible support to residents fleeing wildfires in Northern B.C., and help the people fighting them.
Dave Collie has parked a 53-foot trailer at the Canadian Tire parking lot with the goal of filling it with desperately needed supplies before heading into the fire zone Thursday morning.
Collie was born in Burns Lake and lived the first 18 years of his life in a region now threatened by one of the most aggressive wildfires in the province.
He knows people who are facing evacuation, or have already been forced out of their homes.
And he wants to help.
This week he tapped into social media in an appeal for support. He’s looking for a very specific list of items that he knows will be needed. Practical items like hoses and sprinklers for people trying to protect their properties from falling ash. Camping supplies and portable propane tanks for people already on the move. Baby supplies, toiletries, and even lip balm and eye drops for firefighters working in extreme conditions.
On Tuesday, Chilliwack residents were already answering the call. A slow stream of vehicles were bringing products often taken for granted, like can openers and toilet paper.
He’s even been contacted by a person in Abbotsford who is willing to donate dried pet food, but is afraid to make the drive to Chilliwack.
Volunteers will be accepting donations at the location just off Knight Road by the Canadian Tire garden centre until Wednesday. Volunteers are ready to help from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.
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