By Tanya Cronin

Canadian Red Cross still helping BC wildfire victims

Jun 26, 2018 | 4:52 PM

KAMLOOPS — The one year anniversary of the start to last year’s wildfire season is quickly approaching. It’s a season that will go down in history as the worst BC has ever seen. The fires that ripped through this province last summer devastated people’s homes and properties, with thousands of residents being evacuated. The re-building continues, and the Red Cross and provincial government have announced they are still helping wildfire victims get back on their feet, and want to hear from those still in need of assistance.

July 7th, 2017 the very day flames erupted, roaring through with intensity, and the devastation began.   

“The work is ongoing, this type of recovery from these devastating fires will take years,” says Kimberley Nemrava, Vice-President, Canadian Red Cross, BC & Yukon.

It was the worst wildfire seasons on record in BC, and a little less a year after 65,000 people were forced from their homes, the Canadian Red Cross is still helping those hardest hit.

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“What we can do at Red Cross is we sit with the families and we talk about what do they need for their recovery, every path is different and we can help them on any path they’re going,” says Nemrava.

“In total, an area twice the size of Prince Edward Island was scorched in the unprecedented year of BC wildfires,” says Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General.

What was once a lush green forest, transformed into an apocalyptic aftermath. Forests were decimated, homes leveled, and people left struggling to survive. The Red Cross along with the BC Government has been providing support for those affected, and it’s been a massive undertaking. 

“In some cases it may very well be they’re still out of their homes for a long time, not just the two or three weeks that a disaster may have been in place, there may be special help required for example on the mental health side where issues manifest themselves months or even years later,” says Minister Farnworth.  

The 2017 wildfire season triggered a 10-week province-wide state of emergency. The Elephant Hill Fire, the closest to Kamloops, swept through the Boston Flats Mobile Home Park just west of Ashcroft, wiping out nearly everything in its path. 

“It’s devastating for people, honestly I get phone calls from people still that have lost keepsakes that were left to them by their grandparents that were destroyed in the fire, and of course there’s no replacing that, but in order to help them recover emotionally the support of the Red Cross provides, it goes an awful long way helping people recover and feel good about the future,” says John Ranta, Mayor of Cache Creek.

The Red Cross, working with the provincial and federal governments, has spent $119.3 million, a number that represents nearly 74% of the total $162.2 million, in the BC Fires Appeal Fund. The organization is taking relief efforts seriously. 

“It’s directly supporting individuals and families, it’s the support to small business, not for profit agencies and cultural livelihoods, and the community partnerships, those three streams are really important,” says Nemrava.