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Evacuation alert issued for 93 properties at Quesnel Lake junction area

Concerns of access routes being cut off prompted alert, said Cariboo Regional District

An Evacuation Alert has been issued for 93 properties in the Haggen’s Point and Hen Ingram Lake areas along the south side of Quesnel Lake.

The Cariboo Regional District’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) issued the alert Wednesday morning due to concerns about access routes being cut off because of growing wildfires in the area.

Some residents on Horsefly Lake near the Viewland Mountain fire self-evacuated Tuesday night as winds whipped the fires, located near the main road which accesses recreational and permanent homes on nearby Quesnel Lake at the junction of the north and east arms.

See a map of the affected areas here.

Related: UPDATE: Two families flee growing Viewland Mountain/Horsefly Lake fire

The CRD said the evacuation alert has been issued to prepare residents to evacuate their premises or property should it be required. Residents will be given as much notice as possible prior to evacuation but may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.

The Hen Ingram Recreation Site as well as the Keno Rec Site are within the evacuation alert. Other tourism destinations in the area may be affected by this evacuation alert. Those may include Plato Island Resort and Elysia Resort on Quesnel Lake. Contact individual tourism providers for details.

Residents at the junction said neighbours have been on their radios Wednesday morning making everyone aware of the situation.

Further public information will be issued as it becomes available, said the CRD. For more information, contact the CRD’s public information line at 1-866-759-4977 and see the Tribune’s website at www.wltribune.com.

Residents are encouraged to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text, call or email regarding Evacuation Alerts and Orders: here.

Here’s what you should do upon an evacuation alert:

Have a plan to transport all family members or co-workers outside of the area, should the area be brought under evacuation order.

Keep essential items readily available for a quick departure; including medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (i.e. insurance), immediate care needs for dependents and, if you choose, keepsakes (photographs, etc).

Ensure that any dependents are prepared for departure.

Move pets and livestock to a safe area.

Ensure that you have accommodation options for your family, if possible. A Reception Centre will be made available if required.

Monitor reliable news sources for information on evacuation orders and locations of Reception Centres and the CRD’s channels on Facebook and cariboord.ca/emergency.

More to come.



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Some residents near Cougar Bay on Horsefly Lake chose to self-evaluate Tuesday night due to concerns of a fast growing wildfire in the area of Viewland Mountain. Photo submitted


Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
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