The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is urging the province to restrict backcountry access in order to curb the risk of wildfires.
On July 9, the SLRD issued a news release, urging the province to declare a state of emergency in regard to wildfire risk and cut down on backcountry access of unregulated activities in areas the regional district considers at extreme risk.The board is also asking CN rail to perform maintenance and remediate vegetation along its route, and urges West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jordan Sturdy and Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart to share in these advocacy efforts.
(CN later committed to the District of Squamish that it would follow further safety protocols.)
“We are all aware of the dire situation in our province, with regard to the wildfire risk,” said SLRD board chair, Jen Ford, in a news release.“And we have seen the devastation that wildfire can cause. Our sympathies go out to the people of Lytton and the surrounding area, and to everyone who has been affected by wildfires. The conditions are tinder dry, and most of the province is on high alert. We can’t do anything about the record-breaking temperatures, or lightning strikes, but there are actions that the province can take to help reduce the risk, including restrictions and resourcing, and that’s what we’re asking.”
The SLRD has declared a state of local emergency in place for all four electoral areas of the regional district.Within the SLRD, there are two Evacuation Orders in place in Electoral Area B, in relation to the Mckay Creek wildfire, while the Texas Creek Road area is on Evacuation Alert due to the risk from the Lytton Complex fires.
“There are wildfires burning in three of our four electoral areas,” said Ford in the release. “There have been record-breaking high temperatures and extreme fire risk and it’s only the beginning of the summer so now is the time for the province to act.”
In response, Emergency Management BC issued a written statement to The Chief.
The organization said the province is currently deploying all necessary and requested resources to respond to wildfires across B.C.“A provincial declaration of a state of emergency has not been necessary to provide assistance to people, to access funding, or to coordinate or obtain additional resources – including federal assets,” reads the statement.
“Declaring a provincial state of emergency is made on the advice of Emergency Management BC and BC Wildfire officials. A provincial state of emergency will be enacted if, and when, it’s required. In the meantime, the province continues to support and listen to the concerns of local governments and actively monitor the situation.”
The statement also added that backcountry closures can be put in place at any time by the BC Wildfire Service under the Wildfire Act, and do not require a provincial state of emergency.
CN did not respond to The Chief's request for comment.
Please note, this story has been updated since it was first posted to include a comment from the provincial government and an update about CN's commitments.
