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UNDER EVACUATION: Hope for 100 Mile resident in Penticton

A 100 Mile evacuee says the community will rebuild stronger than before when they return home
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South Okanagan Events Centre staff and emergency social services volunteers set up 400 cots in the SOEC concourse Monday to house B.C. wildfire evacuees. Dustin Godfrey/Western News South Okanagan Events Centre staff and emergency social services volunteers set up 400 cots in the SOEC concourse Monday to house B.C. wildfire evacuees. (Dustin Godfrey/Penticton Western News)

One in a ten-part series showcasing the volunteerism, community and resilience surrounding those evacuated due to the wildfires engulfing parts of the B.C. Interior.

As they wonder what香蕉视频直播檚 lost and what will remain after the wildfires are tamed, one evacuee in Penticton has found solace through faith in her community.

100 Mile House evacuee Rebecca Johnson said she香蕉视频直播檚 confident that when the community moves back into the area, whatever is lost will be rebuilt.

Johnson is one of 132 evacuees from various fires are making Penticton their temporary home after the regional district opened up its emergency social services centre last weekend.

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Opening up the doors to the Penticton Community Centre gymnasium was the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen香蕉视频直播檚 answer to a call for more beds after Williams Lake was ordered evacuated on Saturday. Now the city has set up around 400 cots, which line the concourse in the South Okanagan Events Centre.

That香蕉视频直播檚 on top of dozens of beds open to housing evacuees in various motels and hotels 香蕉视频直播 wherever rooms are available 香蕉视频直播 throughout the city.

But Johnson has been in the city for over a week. She and her husband left 100 Mile House on July 7, after seeing a report that the B.C. Wildfire Service was seeing fires coming in faster than they could report them.

香蕉视频直播淢y husband had injured himself and couldn香蕉视频直播檛 walk and 香蕉视频直播 and I香蕉视频直播檓 disabled, so I thought it was probably wise just to get out of Dodge,香蕉视频直播 Johnson said, adding that they took nothing because of her disability and his injury.

香蕉视频直播淚t felt like we were abandoning our community; that was probably the hardest thing. But we weren香蕉视频直播檛 much help there in the condition we were in. So, that was the hardest thing was to leave the community before it had actually been evacuated,香蕉视频直播 she said.

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100 Mile was evacuated within a day or two of their departure, and Johnson said she香蕉视频直播檚 still in the dark about who has and who hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been affected by the blaze near 100 Mile House, referred to the Gustafsen wildfire.

But that香蕉视频直播檚 likely for the best, Johnson added. Keep energy on fighting the fires and tally up the losses in the end, she suggested.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e people of faith, so we trust God, and we trust that, though it seems overwhelming, that everyone 香蕉视频直播 the firefighters, the pilots, the volunteers 香蕉视频直播 we trust that they are absolutely doing their very best for us. So, we香蕉视频直播檙e really, really blessed and grateful,香蕉视频直播 she said, adding that a loss of a house in the community is a loss for everyone.

香蕉视频直播淪omeone [who] taught your kids, or it香蕉视频直播檚 your best friend香蕉视频直播檚 cousin or, you know. It香蕉视频直播檚 a small community. But we香蕉视频直播檙e 100 Mile strong and we香蕉视频直播檒l support those that have lost what they香蕉视频直播檝e lost and we香蕉视频直播檒l pull together, I have no doubt.香蕉视频直播

But the sense of community for evacuees doesn香蕉视频直播檛 just stop at their physical community 香蕉视频直播 in line for hours at the Kamloops evacuation centre, Johnson said she saw community and support form among strangers.

香蕉视频直播淵ou just look at them and they know and you know, and not a lot has to be explained. They香蕉视频直播檙e all in the same place. Life香蕉视频直播檚 turned upside down very quickly and they香蕉视频直播檙e worried for their neighbours and themselves and their community,香蕉视频直播 she said.

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She considered one evacuee in particular whom she and her husband met during their lengthy wait in Kamloops, who had been feeling weary from chemotherapy.

Johnson said she was a few hundred ahead of that man in the queue, but when she and her husband made note of the man香蕉视频直播檚 situation to local staff, he was expedited through the queue.

香蕉视频直播淢ost people are, even suffering like that, are waiting quietly for their turn, and it may be the next day or the day after,香蕉视频直播 Johnson said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen you香蕉视频直播檙e sick and stuff, the process needs to be speeded up.香蕉视频直播

There香蕉视频直播檚 no lack of gratitude for the work being done in Kamloops, where thousands of evacuees have flocked from the Thompson-Nicola and Cariboo regions.

香蕉视频直播淭he volunteers were working their heinies off. Just really comforting, really encouraging. They were a really soft place to land; all the volunteers were doing an amazing job,香蕉视频直播 she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e were really grateful.香蕉视频直播

Johnson said she came down to Penticton, knowing it was likely to be a long time before they would be able to go back home. Johnson said she has family in the area of Penticton, where she and her husband came early last week.

With any luck, Johnson香蕉视频直播檚 stay in Penticton may not last 香蕉视频直播 Monday evening, Cariboo Regional District and 100 Mile authorities said they are reviewing the evacuation order for the area.

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For now, Johnson said there香蕉视频直播檚 little information out there as to what has actually been lost and what remains in the community.

香蕉视频直播淩ight now, we just need to take it one day at a time and get through, and they香蕉视频直播檙e busy,香蕉视频直播 she said.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檒l give accurate information about what香蕉视频直播檚 been lost when they can, and we have to trust that, too. They are doing their very best.香蕉视频直播





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