Sgt. Ed deJong
Columbia Valley RCMP
This past week, July 15 to July 22, the Columbia Valley RCMP saw a significant increase in call volume, responding to 145 calls for service.
In the early hours of July 20, police responded to multiple calls of people being bear sprayed in downtown Invermere by an individual. The events took place after the bull busting event and occurred between the arena and Ullr Bar. If anyone has information regarding these events, please contact Cst. McMillan at 250-342-9292.
On July 22 the RCMP responded with BC Wildfire Service and local fire departments to four fires. The first three were along Westside Road and were quickly extinguished. The fourth fire was along Hwy 93/95 between Fairmont Hot Springs and Windermere and necessitated the evacuation order of approximately 50 properties and an evacuation alert for the Akisqnuk reserve along with a number of homes on Kootenay 3 Road. BC Wildfire Service attacked the fire aggressively and were able to knock it down and have it contained prior to the loss of any structures. All fires were started by human activity. Don’t throw a cigarette out the window, also be cognizant of any chains or straps bouncing off your vehicle/trailer that may cause a spark, and don’t stop and keep your vehicle running in an area where the grass is dry as your exhaust system can spark a fire. If you observe a fire, report it to 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell phone.
