Smoke from the Ross Moore Lake Fire
Some positive — but also some troubling — updates on the wildfire burning south of Kamloops.
Cooler conditions, combined with some rain overnight on Monday, appears to have knocked down fire activity overnight, with imaging through NASA’s Fire Tracker showing no detectable heat plombs coming from the Ross Moore Lake Fire, which was upgraded Monday night to 26-square kilometers in size.
However, given the smoke still lingering over Kamloops, it is clear the fire is still burning — an intensity Radio NL expects to update later on Tuesday.
334 properties remain under an evacuation order put in-place on Sunday evening.
Heat activity over the course of 24-hours from Monday morning to Tuesday morning/via NASA
Lack of heat activity from the Ross Moore Lake Fire as of 5am Tuesday/via NASA
However, Scott Hildebrand, Chief Administrative Officer for the Thompson Nicola Regional District, says while some have heeded that order, others haven’t.
“There’s still, probably, a good percentage of folks that have chosen to stay. Unfortunately, that’s their decision. But we are certainly recommending when an order takes place, to vacate the area.”
Hildebrand says they are also having issues with people trying to access their properties inside the exclusion zone.
“The only request that we’re allowing would be those that are moving livestock. We’ve got clear direction from BC Wildfire that’s the only folks who are allowed. I guess there was a lot of people in there right now. That was even hampering some of the fire-fightering, and they were concerned with safety.”
So far the TNRD is aware of one property — described as a secondary recreational structure — which has been lost.
Meanwhile, the City of Kamloops has opened up the Emergency Support Services Reception Centre at McArthur Island for people in the Kamloops Fire Centre under an evacuation order.
Emergency Preparedness Manager Will Beatty says the city is currently assisting wildfire evacuees – from both – the Thompson-Nicola and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts.
Beatty says if possible, people on evacuation order should try to stay with friends or family.
“The intent is for folks to be personally prepared, so the best case scenario is that you find somebody that is fairly close to you that you know, either through family or friends, and have that ability to billet.”
However, he says the City of Kamloops will be able to provide assistance for those who are unable to find their own accomodations.
Further updates on the scope of the Ross Moore Lake Wildfire will be coming later in the day.
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