Now: 21 First Nations Under Evacuation Orders and Alerts in BC -- Yellowknife Evacuees Angry over Lack of Federal Aid

"We've been abandoned." Anger in Shuswap.

Justin McElroy · CBC News · Posted: Aug 22, 2023 7:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: August 23

British Columbia, Canada -- Across the Shuswap, as small communities enter their fifth day contending with a massive wildfire that has destroyed blocks of homes, one sentiment comes up repeatedly.

"We feel like we've been abandoned," said Tracy Wojciechowski, publisher of the community newsletter North Shuswap Kicker. 

"People are exhausted, people are emotional, people aren't getting sleep, and people are frustrated with what appears to have been a lack of communication." 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/shuswap-fire-response-bcws-analysis-1.6944412

Now: 21 First Nations Under Evacuation Orders and Alerts in BC 

APTN reports: "As of Tuesday, August 22, evacuation orders and alerts are in place for 21 First Nations due to growing wildfires that are sweeping across the province.

British Columbia remains in a provincial state of emergency, enacting emergency orders including travel restrictions in Okanagan cities to preserve accommodations for evacuees and roads for emergency vehicles.

See the evacuation list below. Read full article at APTN https://www.aptnnews.ca/featured/first-nations-in-b-c-remain-on-evacuation-orders-and-alert/

Cabin Radio -- Lack of Federal Aid for Yellowknife Evacuees

So far, the territorial government has provided no supports for evacuees who arranged their own travel or accomodations, or evacuated prior to the official order.

On Tuesday afternoon, NWT finance minister Caroline Wawzonek said she recognizes the distress over the lack of financial aid for people who have incurred costs related to evacuation. She said her department is hastening to “run options” to roll out more help.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous that the people who fled Yellowknife, Hay River or other areas at risk with their own vehicles or before an evacuation order was given are now being told that their expenses won’t be covered,” Green Party Deputy Leader Jonathan Pedneault was quoted as saying in Tuesday’s release.

“Nobody should be penalized for not waiting until an evacuation order was given or for using their own vehicle. If anything, they should be rewarded for lessening the burden on the authorities.”

Read the full article at Cabin Radio

https://cabinradio.ca/145380/news/politics/ndp-greens-call-for-federal-funding-for-nwt-evacuees/

First Nations:

• Adams Lake Indian Band
  • Facebook
  • Evacuation Order – IR 1 (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order – IR 4 (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order – IR 5 (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert – IR 2 (PDF)
• Bridge River Indian Band (Xwisten)
  • Evacuation Alert AMENDED (PDF)
• Dease River First Nation
  • Evacuation Alert
• Kanaka Bar Indian Band
  • Evacuation Order (PDF)
• Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation
  • Evacuation Alert (PDF)
• Lower Similkameen Indian Band
  • Evacuation Order Downgraded to Alert – IR #9 (PDF)
• Lytton First Nation
  • Evacuation Order – IR 10 and IR 9A (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert – STRYEN IR9 (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert (PDF)
  • Evac Orders – IR20, IR26A, IR26, IR31 and IR25. Evacuation Alerts – IR27, IR27A, IR27B and IR23.
• Nak’azdli Whut’en
  • Facebook
  • Evacuation Alert (PDF)
• Neskonlith Indian Band
  • Evacuation Alert – IR #1 (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert – IR #2 (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert – IR #3 (PDF)
• Osoyoos Indian Band
  • Evacuation Alert – River Road Area (PDF)
• Saik’uz First Nation
  • Facebook
  • Evacuation Order Downgraded to Alert (PDF)
• Siska Indian Band
  • Evacuation Order – IR # 3, 5 & 8 (PDF)
• Skuppah Indian Band
  • Evacuation Alert (PDF)
  • Facebook
• Skwlāx te SecwepemcúÍecw
  • Evacuation Order – Chum Creek Area (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order – Scotch Creek (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order – IR#1 – QUAAOUT Area (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert – IR#5 – North Bay (PDF)
• Takla Nation
  • Facebook
  • Evacuation Order (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert (PDF)
• Tl’azt’en Nation
  • Evacuation Alert – Whitefish Lake (PDF)
• Tsal’alh First Nation
  • Evacuation Order – SLOSH IR 1 & IR1A (PDF)
• Ulkatcho First Nation
  • Evacuation Alert – Trumpeter Mountain/Lonesome Lake Fire (PDF)
  • Evacuation Alert – Anahim Peak Wildfire (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order – Eliguk Lake (PDF)
  • Evacuation Order downgraded to Alert – Anahim Peak Wildfire (PDF)
• Upper Similkameen Indian Band
  • Evacuation Alert (PDF)
• Westbank First Nation
  • Evacuation Order downgrade to an Alert 
  • Evacuation Order Downgrade to an Alert for Portion of IR9