An out-of-control wildfire has prompted an evacuation alert for Seymour Arm.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) issued the alert at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 14, noting a wildfire burning in the area of Hunakwa Lake in Electoral Area F is growing and may pose a danger.
“An evacuation alert is a warning about a potential threat to life and/or property,” reads the CSRD alert. “It is intended to give you time to be ready for a possible evacuation.”
Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however, there may be limited notice due to changing conditions.
An Evacuation Alert has been issued for Seymour Arm because of a wildfire in the Hunakwa Lake area. It is a precautionary measure. Due to the remote nature of Seymour Arm, SEP wishes to provide as much notice to residents and visitors as possible. See: https://t.co/3PCKhzEw5z pic.twitter.com/MdHs6FqooS
— Shuswap Emergency Program (@shuswapemerg) July 14, 2021
Upon notification of an evacuation alert, residents of affected areas are advised to do the following:
• All residents self-register with Emergency Support Services online through this link: https://ess.gov.bc.ca/ You can also search this on Google using the term BC Evacuation Registration and Assistance. When registering, please indicate your community as Seymour Arm. This step is critical as it provides important information in case of an evacuation.
• Locate your grab-and-go bags for you and your family. Gather essential items such as medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers, immediate care needs for dependents. Replenish any items that have expired or need replacement, ensure you and your family members have enough clothing and incidentals for a 72-hour period and have these items readily available for quick departure. See www.preparedbc.ca for details.
• Contact family members, advise them of the situation and determine a meeting location outside of the evacuation area where you can safely reconnect should the area be evacuated.
• Accommodation in the Shuswap area is limited at this time of year. Arrange to stay with family or friends, if possible, or consider finding a campsite outside the alert area.
• Arrange transportation for all household members. Prepare to move any disabled persons and/or children. Fill the gas tanks of personal vehicles.
• Take care of your pets by moving them to a safe location (including horses and hobby farm animals).
Emergency support services cannot provide support to visitors to the area or those with secondary dwellings. People visiting the area should consider relocating at this time.
Additional information will be available on the CSRD’s wesbsite, www.csrd.bc.ca, the Shuswap Emergency Program’s (SEP) webpage at www.shuswapemergency.ca, as well as on the SEP and CSRD Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.
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