A total of 547 residences had to be evacuated in the community of Olalla, British Columbia, due to a now “uncontrollable” wildfire, reported CTV News.
The fire, whose origin is unknown, continues to spread over 5903 hectares, affecting residents of the community of Olalla, a community located just north of Keremeos.
Sandy Diaz, a resident of the area, was evacuated Friday thinking she would be home by evening. However, she had to spend the night outside, leaving her husband suffering from dementia alone at home. “I’m here waiting for my license. Imagine? A permit to go home!” lamented the woman, who was tired of waiting. She decided to return to her residence without a permit, with special permission to take care of her husband. However, she remains worried, and she is not the only one.
Kudrat Mundi owns a small fruit stand in the area. For her, it is the closure of Highway 3A that is hurting her business.
“It’s worrying. Business has slowed dramatically. In fact, it’s scary how quiet it is these days. We will lose a lot of fruit if we cannot continue to sell them,” said the trader.
It also specifies that of its 18 employees, all prepared to evacuate if they received the order.
Firefighters at work
According to BC Wildfire, 426 firefighters are fighting tirelessly to contain the violent blaze, supported by 15 helicopters and 42 pieces of heavy equipment.
“Crews are working hard, but it’s hard to get crews and machines in,” BC Wildfire Service officer Taylor Shantz said, adding that the wind didn’t pick up to fan the flames.
544 forest fires have been observed in British Columbia since the beginning of the year, 57 of which are still active. Remember that a serious fire still continues to rage near Lytton, a year after the town was destroyed by flames.