RDCK issues Evacuation Alert for Lebahdo, Little Slocan, Passmore and Vallican
By Regional District of Central Kootenay
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) based on recommendation from the BC Wildfire Service has issued an Evacuation Alert for 305 homes in the communities of Lebahdo, Little Slocan, Passmore and Vallican. All residents must be prepared to leave their homes at a moment’s notice in response to the Talbot Creek Wildfire – N51250. It is located in the Slocan Valley approximately 3.5 km north east of Highway 6 and approximately 30 km north of Castlegar. A map of the alert area and a full list of addresses are at the bottom of the release and can be found on the RDCK website.
“With the continued hot and dry weather, and the potential for changing winds Sunday night and into Monday, the Southeast Fire Centre has recommended the Evacuation Alert as a precaution and to allow people in the area to prepare themselves,” said Chris Johnson, Director of the RDCK EOC. “If you are affected by the alert, please take the time now to prepare to evacuate yourself and your family should an evacuation be required.”
At this time residents or visitors within the area are not required to evacuate; however, the RDCK advises people to remain vigilant and be prepared to leave the area at a moment’s notice. It is recommended to prepare an emergency kit and ensure preparedness, including moving pets and livestock to a safe area, in the event the situation worsens and an Evacuation Order is enforced. Due to COVID-19 restrictions there are limited options for lodging. People that are evacuated will be asked to arrange accommodations with family or friends outside the area, leaving available spots for those that need it most.
The Talbot Creek wildfire (N51250) was discovered on Monday August 17, and is now an estimated 200 hectares. BC Wildfire Service considers it a Fire of Note. After Friday evening’s significant wind event, the fire has become more active and is producing significant smoke, which is highly visible from the Slocan Valley as well as surrounding communities. For more information on the wildfire, please visit the BC Wildfire Dashboard, click here.
Updates or changes to the Evacuation Alert will be provided via the RDCK website, Facebook and Twitter as more information becomes available.
For more information:
- Current RDCK Evacuation Alerts, Orders and Rescinds: www.rdck.ca/eocinfo or call 250-352-7701
- Sign up for RDCK Emergency Notification System to receive notification of Evacuation Orders. Go to www.rdck.ca/emergencynotification and select “Emergency Alerts” from the home page, or go to the notification system sign-up page at https://voyent-alert.com/community/?page_id=217
- BC Wildfire – Interactive Map of Current Fires: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status – Emergency Contact Number 1-800-663-5555 or *5555
- Public weather alerts for BC from Environment Canada: https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/index_e.html?prov=bc
- Highway closures and conditions from DriveBC: http://www.drivebc.ca/
- For the BC Air Quality Health Index: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/readings/aqhi-table.xml
- For tips about living with smoky skies and wildfires from the Interior Health Authority: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/Emergency/MajorEvents/Pages/default.aspx
- Emergency preparedness information and tips from the Prepared BC website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc
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