The Tremont Creek Wildfire burns in the hills above Walhachin, last week. Image Credit: Darren Carey

By Adam Donnelly

EVACUATION RESCINDED

‘It’s a big relief’: Walhachin evacuation order lifted as fire crews battle Tremont Creek wildfire

Jul 27, 2021 | 4:42 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Monday (July 26) night, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) rescinded an evacuation order that they had placed on the community of Walhachin.

For Darren and Jody Carey, Tuesday (July 27) morning was the first time they’d been home in a week and a half.

“We just got here,” Darren said.

For Jody: “It’s a big relief.”

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“We did a walk-through of the house and opened up the fridge and everything survived in there,” Darren explained. “It’s only been, what, 10 or 11 days?”

They didn’t go far. Just to the other side of the valley at the Thompson River Estates, where Darren could keep an eye on their home from across the river.

“I spent until three or four o’clock in the morning almost every night while the fire was behind us, just watching to see if we were going to make it,” he said.

He was able to capture some photos of the Tremont Creek fire, as it burned in the hills above Walhachin.

Image Credit: Darren Carey

Bill and Marianne Mairs decided to stay in their home, despite the evacuation alert.

“At that time, they were saying to go to Kelowna or someplace,” Bill Mairs said. “Well, to me, Toronto is just as close as Kelowna. I said I’m staying home.”

The Mairs were not alone. They figure it was a fifty-fifty split between those who stayed and those who left when the evacuation order was put in place.

“About half,” Bill said when asked how many families stayed in town. “From this end [of town] there were, what, two families? Three families that left?”

Marianne said: “I’m not sure about the other end.”

Most of all, the residents of Walhachin say they’re thankful to the BC Wildfire Service and structural firefighting units that stayed behind to help protect their homes and their livelihoods.

“We felt extremely safe because of the number of people who were in here looking after us,” Bill said. “Which surprised me. I’ve never seen that many people come in and set up the way they did. They had the whole town set up and covered with sprinklers in six hours.”

“The folks that stayed behind did a fantastic job making sure everyone’s place, and their own place was here to come home to,” Darren Carey said.

According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Tremont Creek Wildfire sits at just over 12,000 hectares. There are 61 firefighters, seven helicopters and 30 pieces of heavy equipment fighting the blaze, along with two structure protection specialists, and 58 structure protection personnel protecting properties in the area.