Village of Chase on evacuation alert, Scotch Creek Bridge closes as Adams Lake wildfire situation worsens

UPTADE (10:00 a.m.): The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District has added the Sorrento area under Evacuation Alert early this morning. Other Evacuation Orders and Alerts remain the same as they were last night.

UPDATE (11:50 p.m.): An emergency order was issued by Adams Lake Indian Band chief and council due to the Bush Creek East wildfire.

In a news release, the band says an emergency order is used by chief and council, and the Adams Lake Indian Band Emergency Operations Centre, to safely evacuate residents from their homes. It also prohibits travel to the area.

Adams Lake Indian Band says its designated meeting area is the McArthur Island Park reception centre in Kamloops.

UPDATE (8:20 p.m.): A large portion for Turtle Valley is now under evacuation order.

The TNRD triggered the evacuation order for 135 properties in Electoral Area L due to the Lowest East Adams Lake wildfire. In a corresponding move, 129 properties in Turtle Valley are on evacuation alert.

The update map is attached.

Evacuated residents are told to register for register for emergency support services (ESS) online and report to the reception centre at 1655 Island Parkway in Kamloops. The TNRD clarifies that residents should travel to Kamloops via Shuswap – Chase Creek Road.

Further east, the CSRD expanded its evacuation order to include all of the Magna Bay area. A smaller evacuation order is also in effect for the Little River Road area.

CSRD residents who need help with transportation from the area can call its emergency operations centre at 250-833-3350.

EARLIER: CHASE, B.C. — The evacuation situation due to the wildfires near Adams Lake continues to get troublesome.

At around 6:30 p.m. Friday (Aug. 18), the Village of Chase says it was issued an evacuation alert by its emergency operations centre (EOC). The Adams Lake Lumber Mill has also been evacuated.

For anyone who has been evacuated outside of Chase, the Village states there is no longer a reception centre for emergency support services. Residents are now being rerouted to McArthur Island Park Sports Centre at 1655 Island Parkway in Kamloops.

Highway 1 will be closed between Chase and Sorrento due to wildfire. DriveBC says crews and traffic control are en route. A detour is available via Highway 97 and Highway 97A.

Columbia Shuswap Regional District

The Scotch Creek Bridge is closed due to Rank 5 fire behaviour on both sides. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) says it has led to the shutdown of all road access.

The CSRD says firefighters have had to back off due to fire behaviour, and the sprinklers are on.

Residents needing to evacuate via water have access to RCMP and Shuswap Search and Rescue boats at the wharf at 4248 Ashe Rd. that will transport people across to Shuswap Marina Buses. Those buses will transport people to the Kamloops Reception Centre.

The CSRD emphasizes that residents should register for emergency support services (ESS) online and report to the reception centre at 1655 Island Parkway in Kamloops. Travel in the are is not recommended for North Shuswap residents who are no on evacuation alert or order.

A temporary comfort centre for evacuees is open at the Lakeview Community Centre in Anglemont at 7703 Squilax-Anglemont Road.

On the evacuation order front, the CSRD issued evacuations for properties in Celista up to Evans Road. The properties join all of Lee Creek and Scotch Creek on evacuation order.

Residents in properties outlined in red on the maps attached must leave immediately. Those outlined in orange are on evacuation alert.

Guidelines on what to do in an evacuation is available online.

Thompson Nicola Regional District

The Bush Creek East wildfire, estimated at around 3,287 hectares in size, west of Adams Lake has caused more trouble for the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD).

An evacuation order was issued for 11 properties from 7080 to 7220 Little Shuswap Lake Rd. and 12 properties from 7530 to 8385 Loakin-Bear Creek Rd. in Electoral Area P.

An evacuation alert is also in effect for 15 properties in Electoral Area P and 12 properties from 1908 to 2424 Adams West FSR in Electoral Area O, as outlined in orange in the attached maps.

On the other side of Adams Lake, the Lowest East Adams Lake wildfire caused the TNRD to trigger an evacuation order for 75 properties within Electoral Area O and P. The properties impacted include:

• 380 Adams West FSR
• 8473 to 9000 Holding Rd.
• 2992 Rawson Rd., in the vicinity of McLeod Point
• Those outlined in red on the attached map

An evacuation alert was also issued for 264 properties in Turtle Valley within Electoral Area L, as outlined in orange in the attached map.

Guidelines on what to do in an evacuation is available online.

TNRD residents can track evacuation updates here.