By Doug Collins

Government extends State of Emergency for another two weeks

Aug 4, 2017 | 10:48 AM

VICTORIA — Premier John Horgan has extended the state of emergency in the province through to the end of the day August 18, 2017

The announcement was made this morning as the B.C. Wildfire picture continues to worsen.

The state of emergency will extend to the entire province. In a news release, the government says the state of emergency ensures that federal, provincial and local resources can be delivered in a co-ordinated response to the wildfire situation and continue to ensure public safety, which remains the provincial government’s top priority.

The province has also committed to providing ongoing direct financial support by providing evacuees $600 per household every 14 days until they return home.

As of 9 a.m. today, there were 122 wildfires burning in B.C. As of 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, there were 25 evacuation orders affecting approximately 7,127 individuals, plus 42 evacuation alerts impacting approximately 24,957 people.

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The state of emergency gives agencies, such as Emergency Management BC, the fire commissioner, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and the RCMP the authority, under the Wildfire Act, to take every action necessary to fight the wildfires and protect residents and their communities.