Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Evacuation alert update for Williams Lake & Area

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) and the City of Williams Lake continue to monitor the fire situation. Evacuation Alerts and Orders are issued on the recommendation of the BC Wildfire Service.

On Monday, July 10, the Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation alert for fringe areas around Williams Lake and the City of Williams Lake issued an alert for the entire City, due to predicted weather that has the potential to push fires west of Williams Lake toward the City of Williams Lake at a rapid pace. The alert was precautionary, but it is important to give residents ample warning so they can make necessary arrangements.

How can I prepare?
If you have to evacuate, please remember to register with the local emergency reception centre so you can be contacted or reunited with your family and loved ones. Also, be sure to:
  • Listen to the radio and follow instructions from local emergency officials 
  • Take an emergency survival kit with you 
  • Ensure you take prescription medicine and all important documents 
  • Shut off water and electricity before leaving, if instructed to do so and if you are sure you have sufficient time. Unplug all electrical household items. Leave natural gas service 'on' unless local officials advise you otherwise.
  • Take your pets with you and make arrangements to move pets and livestock to a safe area
  • Fuel your car before the evacuation and pack water and non-perishable food for the car
  • Wear clothes and shoes appropriate to conditions 
  • Secure your home and lock the doors 
  • Follow the routes specified by emergency officials and don’t take shortcuts as a shortcut could take you to a blocked or dangerous area. Stay away from downed power lines
  • Contact your out-of-area emergency contact (identified in your personal emergency plan) to let them know what has happened, that you are ok, where you are going and when you expect to arrive.
Emergency Reception Centres
  • People on alert or who are self-evacuating are encouraged to register in-person at reception centres in Williams Lake at the Lake City Secondary School Carson Campus and in Prince George at the College of New Caledonia (West Entrance). 
Evacuation Routes
Please find below an update on the current road situation in the Cariboo for people who are evacuating or self-evacuating. Note that this information is current, but the situation may change. Please ensure that you check Drivebc.ca for the most up-to-date road and evacuation information.  If you are:
  • North of 100 Mile on Highway 97 (includes Williams Lake City) you have to leave the areas via Highway 97 north to Prince George.
  • South of 100 Mile on Highway 97 you have to leave the area via Highway 24.
  • In the Horsefly area, take the Beaver Valley Road, the Ditch Road or the Range Road (Gavin Lake Road) to the Likely Road and then take the Beaver Lake Road to Highway 97 north.
  • In the Chilcotin, you can get through on Highway 20 (east-bound only) to Williams Lake and then leave north on Highway 97 to Prince George. An alternate route is to go through Farwell Canyon and the Gang Ranch to Dog Creek Road to Enterprise Road to Highway 97 and then head north to Prince George. 
  • If you are unable to get to Highway 97 south due to the Canim-Hendrix Road closure (located between Highway 97 and Sunman Road), see the attached map for a route to Highway 24. The route is staffed with check points, signs, and patrols, and is being treated with dust control. 
  • Please note: there is no access south on Highway 97 at Kersley. Access is limited to essential services only.
For More Information
You can find information on each CRD Evacuation Order and Alert at cariboord.ca or on Facebook at CRD Emergency Operations Centre. If the information about a specific area has not been updated in a while, that is because the information is still relevant and has not changed. For further information, call the CRD’s public information telephone line at 1-866-759-4977.

Please also find information about the City of Williams Lake, specifically, at the City’s website williamslake.ca and Facebook page facebook.com/CityWilliamsLake and Twitter @CityWL. For further information, please call the City of Williams Lake EOC at 250-392-2364 or 250-392-2365.

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