Chief Leah Stump knows Nazko First Nation can handle an emergency.
Portions of their land are under an evacuation alert. Although most of the land doesn’t have residences, there are three homes under the alert.
Stump said Nazko is working closely with regional governments to issue alerts related to the Purdy Lake Wildfire, which has grown to 7,600 hectares.
She added Nazko does daily check-ins with the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and the Cariboo Regional District emergency centres.
READ MORE: More Nazko First Nation lands put under evacuation alert
“We’re working closely with them,” she said. “It’s a good relationship between us and the other parties. It keeps everybody in the loop and on top of things, hopefully with less worries.”
An often-used cabin by ATV riders and campers has burned down, but Stump thinks the fire won’t cause more evacuation alerts.
“The fire is running into the old fire that was already burnt in 2018, so the hope is they can get at the fire more easily, and they have some old guards they can use from the 2017 and 2018 fires,” she said. “There’s also the river. All of that will make it more defendable.”
Even if the Purdy Lake Wildfire does cause Nazko to evacuate, Stump said the community is ready.
“I think we’re always on alert ourselves, because of being evacuated so many times in the last 10 years,” she said. “Everybody has their grab-and-go bag prepared, and we’re not going to take any chances.”
Areas to the north of Nazko First Nation are under evacuation orders, due to two wildfires of note burning in the Prince George Fire Centre, south of Vanderhoof.
READ MORE: Ulkatcho First Nation at Anahim Lake praying for rain
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