While not ready to leave, Jay Simpson said he and fellow North Shuswap citizens who continue fighting fires are tired and want help.

香蕉视频直播淎t this point, we香蕉视频直播檙e bagged, we香蕉视频直播檝e been working 2o-hour days in more dangerous situations and so much smoke. I香蕉视频直播檝e got nothing but so much respect for people who are out there stomping on fires,香蕉视频直播� said Simpson, the Electoral Area F director with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD).

Simpson and others continue to defy a CSRD evacuation order that香蕉视频直播檚 been in place since Friday, Aug. 18, when what香蕉视频直播檚 now referred to as the Bush Creek East wildfire spread into the communities of Lee Creek, Scotch Creek and Celista.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 the epitome of civil disobedience right now, because I did not follow the order to depart香蕉视频直播� I stayed behind and fought the fires to save my home, my neighbours, my community香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Simpson, frustrated that authorities are preventing things like bottled water, food and fuel for generators from reaching citizens fighting fires in the evacuation order areas.

香蕉视频直播淭here are fuel suppliers out there that would just love to stop in and help us, but they香蕉视频直播檙e being piloted through so nobody gets off the road, nobody stops and drops off some fuel, nobody does anything. We can香蕉视频直播檛 get a hot dog in here. We can香蕉视频直播檛 get a bottle of water in here香蕉视频直播� we香蕉视频直播檙e just cut right off.香蕉视频直播�

The CSRD continues to urge citizens to vacate the evacuation order areas, for their safety and the safety of firefighters.

香蕉视频直播淭he message that I want to provide to the community is there are enough resources on this fire to actively engage whatever comes at them, and if there aren香蕉视频直播檛 enough resources, we have resources waiting to go into the communities to deal with this,香蕉视频直播� said Shuswap Emergency Program emergency operations director Derek Sutherland in an afternoon Aug. 22 update. 香蕉视频直播淪o community members can feel safe and secure that there are firefighters to deal with any issues that arise on their property if and when they choose to evacuate.香蕉视频直播�

With lingering hot spots, flare ups and more, Simpson agreed it香蕉视频直播檚 not a safe situation to be working in.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not a safe thing to be doing, but on the other hand we are saving our homes, our communities,香蕉视频直播� he said, acknowledging help is needed.

Simpson said he took part in a meeting Tuesday (Aug. 22) between locals and BC Wildfire Service personnel, during which a collaborative approach was discussed.

香蕉视频直播淭hey came out and sat down at our kitchen table, two of them, a couple of us, and they talked about how the backburn went and what they did and how we can work together, and we香蕉视频直播檙e working towards that,香蕉视频直播� said Simpson. 香蕉视频直播淥ur contractors out here with big heavy machinery, we香蕉视频直播檙e getting them registered with BC Wildfire so we can work in conjunction with them.

香蕉视频直播淲e want this cooperation 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 critical. We cannot do this ourselves. We cannot save our communities all by ourselves. We香蕉视频直播檝e taken the first three days of utter chaos and done what we could to save as much as we could, but it香蕉视频直播檚 a long game, it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be months, two months 香蕉视频直播� until the snow flies.香蕉视频直播�

BC Wildfire Service information officer Forrest Tower said such collaborations are not uncommon, that there香蕉视频直播檚 a successful one working the Rossmore Lake wildfire near Kamloops.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e had community members from Knutsford that香蕉视频直播檚 engaged on that fire since July,香蕉视频直播� said Tower. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e folded into our operations, some of them have actually signed up with us as emergency firefighters, a large number of them have not, they香蕉视频直播檙e still volunteer status. But we have a good organizational structure there, there香蕉视频直播檚 clear lines of communication, there香蕉视频直播檚 check-ins happening香蕉视频直播� So it can work, we just really have to work towards some good operational oversight and at this point, the BC Wildfire Service provides that operational oversight.

香蕉视频直播淔olding community members into that whenever possible will be a lot more efficient than everyone kind of running around doing their own thing, which is both unsafe and also not efficient. It just makes things take much longer.香蕉视频直播�

Tower, acknowledging the good work being done in the North Shuswap, believes better communication is needed to ease tensions and remind people they香蕉视频直播檙e working towards the same goals.

香蕉视频直播淚 think there香蕉视频直播檚 this sense that because there香蕉视频直播檚 RCMP blockages and an evacuation order and supplies aren香蕉视频直播檛 getting in, that government is working against people,香蕉视频直播� said Tower. 香蕉视频直播淩eally, all that has to happen is if there are individuals who do have those skills and wants to put them to use, and they香蕉视频直播檙e willing to work in an organized manner under direction 香蕉视频直播� usually by someone with the BC Wildfire Service, they just have to reach out.香蕉视频直播�

Simpson said they were told by the BCWS that it needs locals 香蕉视频直播� their expertise, equipment and knowledge of the area.

香蕉视频直播淚 just had a guy from Magna Bay text me a photo of a fire that香蕉视频直播檚 burning in a steep area 香蕉视频直播� he gave me a pin of the location, told me there was nobody in the area, so I sent that off to BC Wildfire and they sent it off to their operations people,香蕉视频直播� said Simpson. 香蕉视频直播淪o locals on the ground being able to help BC Wildfire identify areas of concern and areas of large fires, flames香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hey were in and put about four hours in dual helicopters into the Lee Creek Gorge and I香蕉视频直播檓 sure that will save a bunch of houses that are downstream of that area. So we love the collaboration, we香蕉视频直播檇 love to have them here.香蕉视频直播�

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