The RCMP are asking residents to avoid recreational activities in areas subject to evacuation orders and alerts.
On July 1, the Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation order for the Deka Lake area. That morning, while working to ensure the residents were notified of the order and safely evacuated from the area, RCMP officers noted there were numerous boats and other recreational vessels on and around the lake.
S/Sgt. Svend Nielsen, the 100 Mile House RCMP Detachment Commander, says “We know it’s summer, which means it’s boating season. However, this is not the area to boat in now. These orders are put in place to ensure public safety, and we are working hard to get people out of the area. We are asking everyone to avoid areas of evacuation orders and those in areas of alerts to be prepared to evacuate.”
Anyone planning a trip to or through an area with wildfires should check the website of the applicable regional district for maps showing any evacuation alerts or orders in place, and avoid those areas. This applies to lakes as well as roads.
Some BC Parks campsites in affected areas might be closed, or have limited facilities. Check the BC Parks website at https://bcparks.ca/ before you go for any closures or restrictions.
Restrictions apply to the air, as well as to the ground and water. There are stiff fines for anyone using a drone around an active wildfire, as drone activity can mean the grounding of airborne firefighting equipment.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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