A large donation to replace equipment at the Loon Lake Fire Department.

The Red Cross has donated nearly $87,000 dollars to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, which will be used to replace contents lost as a result of the fire hall burning down in 2017, during the Elephant Hill wildfire.

TNRD manager of fire protective services Jason Tomlin says an application is being made the province to secure land where the new fire hall would be built.

“It would be great if it happened this year, the sooner the better obviously. And we’re working as close as we can with the province and trying to keep the community informed on the progress as it happens.”

In January, a donation of $275,000 came in to help rebuild the firehall which the TNRD says will cover more than half of the costs needed.

“From the funding side… we’re keeping our ear to the ground for any funding ability or conduits that we can use to support the rebuild for the fire hall,” Tomlin says.