Columbia Valley Pioneer staff
The Madias Creek wildfire has forced an evacuation order and alert in the area of Kootenay No. 3 Road north of Fairmont Hot Springs.
The order includes 27 civic addresses in the Crooked Tree/Madias Creek area that were tactically evacuated earlier this afternoon, while the alert includes 46 civic addresses in the Elkhorn area.
Late Monday afternoon a tactical evacuation was performed by RCMP and RDEK firefighters in response to the rapidly evolving Madias Creek wildfire, reported Regional Emergency Operations Centre information officer Loree Duczek. “They were quick to respond and everyone was able to get out safely,” she said.
The Columbia Valley Rural Fire and Rescue Service and the BC Wildfire Service have established unified command and continue to battle the flames.
An Emergency Support Services (ESS) reception centre has been established at the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce in the Lion’s Hall (651 Hwy 93/95 in Invermere) for those affected by the evacuation. Evacuees are asked to check in and register at the reception centre or online at www.ess.gov.bc.ca. An information line has been set up at 250-426-2188 or toll free 1-855-346-2188 and, when not staffed, will have a recorded message with the most updated information.
Along with the evacuation order and alert, the ?Akisq?’nuk First Nation Council has issued an evacuation alert for the entirety of the reserve.
The size of the fire has not been updated and the cause is suspected to be human activity.
