Listen Live
Listen Live
Listen Live

Fire Departments Behind the Lines Setting Up Structure Protection

Local fire departments with the aid of others from across the province continue to prepare for the event should the wildfires reach the City of Williams Lake which was evacuated on Saturday.

Chief of the Williams Lake Fire Department Des Webster says crews are doing structure protection today.

“On the west end of town they’re setting up sprinklers on a lot of the residences and the large values out there which would be the three lumber mills because that’s typically the direction fire is going to come. By putting the sprinklers up it gives us a bit of a head start should the fire get there, those should be protected.”

Webster says crews at the beginning of the week when the fire activity had started were putting in some 24 hour shifts with a lot of them sleeping at the fire hall.  He says right now that they have a 10 hour shift that works during the day with the out of town structure units taking over from noon until midnight.

He adds that the support they’ve received has been phenomenal.

“The support that we’ve gotten from the City and the businesses and the ones that have come back to town to open up to help the effort with all the firefighters; not just us but the RCMP and the forestry guys and what not, it’s been phenomenal. I don’t think we would have gotten this far into the event without that help and we just really appreciate all the effort those guys have been doing.”

Webster says that it is really smoky in Williams Lake today and that it has been cooler than it has been in the last couple of days.

He says rain which is expected for tomorrow will help immensely although it is not certain to what extent.

“I’m just so proud of my guys. The effort they put into this thing,” says Webster.

“They sent their families away to a safer zone, they stayed behind. I couldn’t be more proud of them and I couldn’t be more proud to be the Chief of the Williams Lake Fire Department.”

Something going on in the Cariboo you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].

Rebecca Dyok
Rebecca Dyok
News Reporter/Anchor who loves the Cariboo and coffee (lots of it).If you have any news tips or story ideas you would like to share I can be reached at [email protected]

Continue Reading

ckbx Now playing play

cffm Now playing play

ckcq Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Postal workers strike as Ottawa signals end of door-to-door delivery

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers launched an immediate nationwide strike Thursday after the federal government ordered Canada Post to begin a sweeping overhaul that could spell the end of traditional door-to-door delivery.

Nazko’s first Potato Harvest yields an impressive amount for the community

Nazko First Nation hosted its first Potato Harvest Festival, harvesting over 2000 potatoes and produce for the community.

“We’d love to see a sea of orange shirts in Boitanio Park in Williams Lake”

Students throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District have been invited to attend a very special event tomorrow (September 26) in Boitanio Park in Williams Lake.

Ostrich farm granted temporary stay of CFIA Cull order: agency to remain at farm

The Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood was in a celebratory mood late Wednesday morning after owners learned the Supreme Court of Canada granted an interim stay of a cull ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Municipal leaders call on province to step up response to street disorder

Mayors from across British Columbia are calling on the province to take urgent action to address the homelessness and addiction crisis facing their communities.  
- Advertisement -