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SLRD issues evacuation alert over Area A wildfire

Wildfire burning near Carpenter Lake northwest of Lillooet
Braden Dupuis
Braden Dupuis
screen-shot-2024-05-13-at-11833-pm
A map showing the affected properties near Carpenter Lake in the SLRD's Area A.Screenshot

Properties in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District's (SLRD) Area A are on evacuation alert due to an out-of-control wildfire in the region.

The Truax Creek fire is burning about 100 hectares near the shores of Carpenter Lake, northwest of Lillooet.

Carpenter Lake is just east of Downton Lake and Gun Lake, both of which saw massive fires of their own in 2023.

According to the SLRD, the evacuation alert was initiated due to the "potential danger to life and health."

"An Evacuation Alert has been issued to prepare you to evacuate your premises should it be found necessary," the SLRD's website reads. "Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible before evacuation; however, you may receive limited notice due to rapidly changing conditions."

What you can do to prepare:

  • Pre-register for Emergency Support Services online at: https://ess.gov.bc.ca/
  • Locate all family members and designate a meeting area outside of the evacuation area, should an Evacuation Order be called while separated.
  • Pack essential items such as government-issued ID, medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (e.g., insurance, credit, and mortgage information), immediate care needs for dependants and, if time and space permits, keepsakes for quick departure.
  • Prepare to move people who may need additional time to evacuate, children and/or neighbours who would require assistance.
  • If transportation assistance is needed, call the SLRD Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at 604-698-6442.
  • Prepare to take pets with you and move livestock to a safe area (if possible).
  • Arrange transportation and accommodations for all your household members, if possible, and fill the gas tanks of personal vehicles.
  • Wait for an Evacuation Order to be issued before evacuating.

Further information will be posted in notices at www.slrd.bc.ca and through the SLRD Alert Messaging service. Subscribe to SLRD Alert for free at www.slrd.bc.ca/slrdalert to receive emergency notifications via email, text messages, and voicemail.

Meanwhile, most open burning activities will be prohibited in the Coastal Fire Centre as of May 17.

This prohibition applies to all public and private land, unless specified otherwise (e.g., in a local government bylaw). Residents are asked to check with local government authorities for any other restrictions before lighting any fire.

Specifically, the prohibition refers to the following activities:

"Category 2 open fire" which means an open fire, other than a category 1 campfire, that

  1. Burns material in one pile not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width,
  2. Burns material concurrently in 2 piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width, or
  3. Burns stubble or grass over an area that does not exceed 0.2 ha.

"Category 3 open fire" which means an open fire that burns

  1. Material concurrently in 3 or more piles each not exceeding 2 m in height and 3 m in width,
  2. Material in one or more piles each exceeding 2 m in height or 3 m in width,
  3. One or more windrows, each not exceeding 200 m in length or 15 m in width,
  4. Stubble or grass over an area exceeding 0.2 ha.

Also prohibited:

  • Fireworks;
  • Sky Lanterns;
  • Binary Exploding Targets;
  • Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description; and,
  • Air Curtain Burners.

The prohibition does not apply to Category 1: Campfires a half-metre high by a half-metre wide or smaller, or to cooking stoves that use gas, propane, or briquettes.

Anyone lighting a campfire must maintain a fireguard by removing flammable debris from around the campfire area and have a hand tool or at least eight litres of water available nearby to properly extinguish the fire.