Cariboo RD Evacuation ALERTS/ORDERS Status - July 3rd, 2021

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District's Emergency Operations Centre:

At noon on Saturday, July 3, 2021 there were two evacuation orders and three evacuation alerts impacting 1132 parcels of land in the Cariboo Regional District. Official alerts and orders and maps of impacted areas can be found at: cariboord.ca/EOCorderalerts. Additional equipment and personnel are now arriving in the region to assist first responders battling the 48 active wildfires in the Cariboo Fire Centre.

Alerts

Canim Lake - Area "H"
Sulphurous Lake - Area "L"
Big Stick Area - Area "J" 

Orders

Deka Lake - Area "L"
Judson Road (adjacent to Deka order) -- Area "L"

See a map of the affected areas: cariboord.ca/EOCorderalerts.

Information for Residents on Alert or Order

Evacuees from both orders are being directed to an Emergency Support Services reception centre at Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School at this time. Residents in areas on alert should pre-register with the provincial emergency support services at: ess.gov.bc.ca.

Information for all Residents and Property Owners in the Cariboo

All residents and property owners, regardless of their current alert/order status, are encouraged to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text, call or email regarding Evacuation Alerts and Orders that impact their properties: cariboord.ca/CRDEmergsignup.

The public is also asked to stay away from active firefighting zones and staging areas, stay off any lakes being used by water bombers, and exercise extreme caution in the outdoors during this challenging time. In particular, the public is advised that a specialized heavy-lift helicopter capable of carrying 6284 liters (1,660 gallons) of water is being utilized to combat the wildfires and the propwash underneath this aircraft is very powerful and potentially dangerous. The CRD would also like to remind the public that it is prohibited to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone near or over a wildfire. This is illegal and endangers personnel, and aircraft cannot operate when UAVs or drones fly through restricted airspace.

First responders are working hard across the region to protect life safety at this time. The Cariboo Regional District extends its thanks and gratitude to all those currently on the front lines or supporting crews in the field.

We know that there have been offers from the community to assist in firefighting efforts. While we appreciate the sentiment, we ask that this work be left to the crews assigned by the agencies responsible for managing our wildfire response. Effectively combating wildfires requires a coordinated and strategic approach. Crews working outside of that structure may be put in danger or draw resources away from more immediate priorities. We also remind the public to have any important documents, medications, and valuables on hand and be ready to evacuate on a moment’s notice. Please check out our emergency preparedness links for more information:  www.cariboord/beprepared.