Federal emergency preparedness minister Bill Blair visited the B.C. Wildfire Centre on Wednesday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

BILL BLAIR VISIT

Federal emergency prepardness minister visits B.C. Wildfire Centre

Jul 20, 2022 | 3:14 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was a visit to the wildfire centre a year in the making. First delayed due to smoke last year, emergency preparedness minister Bill Blair got a close-up look at the air tankers ready to take off at any moment.

Blair wasn’t in Kamloops to hand out money — promising $416 million for recovering communities like Lytton earlier this summer. He wanted to learn more about how the wildfire centre operates.

“The opportunity to meet the people who actually deliver these extraordinary services to help and protect the people of British Columbia — not just in British Columbia but their expertise is being utilized right across the country,” noted Blair. “It really makes a difference, and it helps inform decisions that governments have to make.”

Blair’s visit comes as yet another wildfire burns close to Lytton. Like many around the province, Blair can’t believe another blaze has struck that community.

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The Nohomin Creek wildfire has burned more than 2,000 hectares and remains out of control.

“I can only imagine how anxiety-producing and triggering that was for the people living in that community to see fire once again return to their community,” he said. “I want to ensure them of our shared committment [with the B.C. Wildfire Service] to be there for them. We’ll be there for them in helping rebuild their community and we’ll be there for them to help protect their community in the future.”

It’s the firefighters on the ground near Lytton helping to suppress the fire and save any more structures they can, and Blair ensured he personally thanked the wildland firefighters who are and will be put in challenging conditions this summer to do the same.