Members of the media will get an inside look at the Regional District of Central Okanagan’s evacuation zone today (Aug. 24), much to the dismay of some evacuees.
Some evacuees displaced by the 80,951-hectare lightning-caused White Rock Lake fire have spoken up on social media sharing plans to halt the “voyeuristic event.”
Resident Camilla Labine said the people of the North Westside are “totally against this.”
“We are currently organizing a protest or blockade of our residents to prevent media access as coordinated by the RDCO to our communities,” Labine wrote Black Press. “The public needs to be made aware of our outrage at such an unnecessary violation of our privacies and media porn which will add to our existing pain and stress.”
Westshore Estates resident Val Trevis echoes Labine’s message.
“Many of us do not want the media to tour our neighbourhoods but our concerns have fallen on deaf ears at the regional district.”
Meanwhile, Trevis said the majority of residents are still in the dark about the condition of their neighbourhood.
“Residents who tragically lost their homes have been contacted and they should be first priority throughout this disaster,” she wrote Black Press and district CAO Brian Reardon. “However, for 22 days now, we (the remaining evacuees) have not received one single update for our respective neighbourhoods.
“We are worried and waiting.”
A large-scale ignition operation is planned to tackle the White Rock Lake wildfire which could start Wednesday, Aug. 25.
Crews look to target the northeast flank, in the area of Irish and Six Mile creeks, covering upwards of 3,000 hectares.
Significant amounts of smoke will be visible from nearby communities, including Vernon, Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Falkland and Glennema, BC Wildfire Services said.
The combined efforts of hand and aerial ignitions would remove fuels that remain between the control line and advancing fire, giving firefighters the chance to gain control of the fire burning in the steep terrain.
Fire activity has been minimal but with warming temperatures, BCWS anticipates the activity will pick up again over the course of the week. Gusting winds of up to 30 km/h from the east-northeast are called for today (Aug. 24) and temperatures are expected to reach mid-20s by Wednesday.
READ MORE: Evacuation order rescinded for select Mabel Lake FSR properties in Bunting Road fire
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