The Lower East Adams Lake wildfire has triggered evacuation orders for the Adams Lake Indian Band and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Emergency Plan Funding

Local regional districts, First Nations receive provincial funding for emergency planning

Aug 9, 2023 | 8:44 AM

KAMLOOPS — Local First Nations and regional districts received provincial funding to develop and upgrade emergency-evacuation-route and public-notification plans.

In a news release issued Wednesday (Aug. 9) morning, the B.C. government announced the following commitments:

• Adams Lake Indian Band — $30,000 for emergency route review and governance policy development
• Cariboo Regional District — $29,500 for 108 Mile Ranch and surrounding area evacuation route plan
• Columbia Shuswap Regional District — $29,940 for community evacuation route planning and Alertable awareness project
• Nooaitch Indian Band — $25,000 for emergency communication and evacuation route plan
• Thompson-Nicola Regional District — $27,625 for evacuation route review

“When emergencies happen, First Nations and local governments are on the front lines,” Jen Ford, Union of British Columbia Municipalities president says. “This pool of funding is instrumental in supporting local communities to prepare and resource themselves for disaster response and mitigation unique to their circumstances.”

The funding is part of nearly $880,000 spread across 19 communities through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

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The funding comes as communities within the Cariboo, Shuswap and Thompson regions deal with evacuation alerts and orders amid the wildfire season.