Kimberley Issues Evacuation Alert for Wildfires; Residents Urged to Prepare
Kimberley is on high alert as a wildfire threat looms over the city. An evacuation alert has been issued for all 9,000 residents, urging them to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice due to the Matthew Creek wildfire. In addition, the Regional District of East Kootenay has also issued an evacuation alert for 66 properties in the St. Mary Lake area due to the Tower Creek fires.
City of Kimberley Fire Chief Will Booth emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Given the current and forecasted conditions on both fires, particularly with ongoing hot, dry weather and little to no rain, the BC Wildfire Service has made the recommendation that Evacuation Alerts be issued.”
With the Matthew Creek blaze burning at around 567 hectares and the Tower Creek fires covering approximately 280 hectares, residents are advised to stay informed from reliable sources, register for the Regional Evacuation Notification System, and prepare themselves and their families for potential worsening conditions.
Acting mayor, Sandra Roberts, assured residents in the evacuation alert notice that they would receive as much advance notice as possible, but emphasized the rapidly changing fire conditions.
The BC Wildfire Service reported that the fires near Kimberley were likely caused by lightning strikes and that the terrain and weather conditions have made it challenging for crews to directly combat the blazes. Firefighters are focusing on setting up control lines and utilizing existing natural barriers to contain the fires.
The escalating wildfire situation across British Columbia has led to around 102 active fires, with hundreds of properties evacuated or on alert in various areas, including the Boston Bar region in the Fraser Canyon.