(Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

shetland creek wildfire

TNRD expands Venables Valley evacuation order, expresses confidence in Emergency Operations Centre

Jul 18, 2024 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS – The Thompson Nicola Regional District has expanded the evacuation order around the Shetland Creek wildfire in the Spences Bridge area.

Late Thursday afternoon (July 18), the TNRD added nine more properties to the order, expanding the evacuation area to the north and west. There are now 85 properties within the area covered by the order.

Another 145 properties are now under evacuation alert, including the community of Spences Bridge to the south and numerous properties in the Hat Creek area to the northwest. That brings the total number of properties under alert to about 170. Residents must be ready to leave on very short notice.

Image Credit: TNRD

Meantime, after a harrowing night of evacuations for those in Venables Valley Wednesday, some TNRD directors are feeling some relief a day later.

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Barbara Roden, the TNRD board chair, says she’s feeling a bit more comfortable about the looming fire season having seen the EOC team in action Wednesday night

For the first time, the Ashcroft director witnessed the EOC action firsthand.

“It does give me a lot of confidence. I know that when they give me information, it’s not just what they’re hearing at the calls — it’s coming from their own experience, their own background, what they’ve seen in the past,” said Roden.

“I know that they’re going to give me the truth. They’re not going to try to downplay something, but they’re not going to overplay it either, because people are really on edge in the Ashcroft area.”

On Thursday, BCWS reported no structures lost to the Shetland Creek wildfire.

Tricia Thorpe, TNRD director for Electoral Area ‘I’, credits both firefighters and community members for keeping homes safe.

“It’s a testament to that community, they are organized, they have done everything they can to fire smart, make their community safe, and I would say that that’s a good testament to what you can do if you work together,” Thorpe told CFJC News.

“And B.C Wildfire Service, while they haven’t had time to update us and I get that they’re busy, it sounds like their structural protection unit did an amazing job last night and I think we need to focus on those things.”