Cariboo-Chilcotin Fire Update - July 27th am

Good morning...

There are currently no changes yesterday to evacuation orders or alerts in the Cariboo Regional District, the District of 100 Mile House or the City of Williams Lake.  To view all active Cariboo Regional District evacuation orders/alerts - click here.  To view the latest information for the Evacuation Alert for the District of 100 Mile House - click here.  Finally - To view the latest information on the active Evacuation Order for the City of Williams Lake - click here

Up-to-date information of the Wildfires of Note in the Cariboo Fire Centre, including all fires within the Cariboo Regional District, can be viewed here

I continue to field a number of questions today relating to returning home.  I will state again, for the record, that there is a process to this.  If you wish to inquire on a permit to return home and you are an essential service (basic community services/emergency services) - you can call the CRD Emergency Ops Centre (EOC) Public Info Line at 1-866-759-4977 or the City of Williams Lake Emergency Ops Centre (EOC) at 250-392-2364 or 250-392-2365.  Both EOC's are open from 8am - 8pm daily

Further - yesterday's CRD Daily Wildfire Report can be read at:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5G68A7TFyh_Wk5FeWs3Y3laTlk

Here is Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb's message to the residents' of Williams Lake yesterday evening:

Today was spent trying to make sure everything was in place for a smooth return. We are as ready as we can be as so much cannot be done until the order changes.

Myself, (City of Williams Lake) staff and CRD Chair (Al Richmond) and his staff toured the fires in our immediate area by helicopter today and saw the fires that are considered threats.
There are many many hot spots and smoke plumes. We saw larger fires farther away but no big ones close.
Once again we have wind warnings that were to hit about 4 but did not materialize but expected tonight. Will have to see what that brings overnight.

In showing my frustrations with the situation last night some got the impression that there were personal conflicts. I need to say that there have been some very vocal discussions but my frustration are with the unpredictability of the weather and the fires not the people. Every time we think we have every base covered the goal post changes. Maybe should have taken a couple of those deep breaths before I posted.

There is also much discussion about who is back home and for what reason.

Authorization for return have been for the most part essential services and minimum staff to operate the other services like garages grocery stores an tradesman that may be required like mechanics and electricians. There are business open that never left and most of them are servicing the fire fighters police and military.
Many have slipped in the back door and we knew that would happen and very difficult to deal with

Sleep tight and dream good thought and we will all get through this.

Finally - friendly reminder to continue to rely ONLY on official sources for Evacuation Alerts or Orders from your local government website or Facebook page or through the local media - Tribune (click here) or Vista Radio (click here)

~SF