The number of homes lost in the Cariboo due to wildfire has risen according to the latest figures.
Al Richmond is the Chair of the Cariboo Regional District (CRD).
“We completed our inventory in areas we’re able to get in to. So the total of confirmed homes that we have inventoried to date is 41 homes have been lost within the area. That’s up from the original numbers that we had earlier of about 18.”
Richmond says it is quite likely that that number will go up.
An estimated 13,274 parcels of land are on evacuation order or alert throughout the regional district with over 35,000 people including the City of Williams Lake and the District of 100 Mile House being impacted.
“I would like to express my sincere regrets to those who have lost homes and other structures in the Cariboo region. I encourage our communities to extend love and support to these families as we do so well here in the Cariboo,” says Richmond. “Also, thank you to the BC Wildfire Service and all the structural firefighters who continue to work so hard to protect our communities. I cannot express how thankful we are for your continued efforts.”
19 evacuation orders and 12 evacuation alerts have been issued by the CRD since their Emergency Operations Centre opened on July 6, 2017.