Residents of the tight-knit community of Venables Valley southwest of Ashcroft are trying to remain hopeful as they wait to hear the extent of structure loss in the wake of the Shetland Creek wildfire, which swept through Saranagati village on the evening of July 17.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e heard there is structure loss, but we香蕉视频直播檙e uncertain of the numbers, and the fire is still doing its thing,香蕉视频直播� says Damodar Paquette, who was evacuated from the community with his wife and two children.

香蕉视频直播淲e have an individual going in there from our community to look at the situation, and we香蕉视频直播檙e not making any announcements until the damage has been assessed. Right now we香蕉视频直播檙e keeping our hopes up, but at the same time we don香蕉视频直播檛 want misinformation that will give people false hope.香蕉视频直播�

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is putting the preliminary estimate of structures lost at fewer than 10, but officials have not been able to enter the area to do a complete assessment.

Many members of the community of around 80 people were attending a meeting on July 17 that had been called because of the threat of the Shetland Creek wildfire, which started south of the community on July 12.

香蕉视频直播淚t was a FireSmart meeting to prepare our homes,香蕉视频直播� says Paquette. Venables residents had seen the lightning and thunderstorms at the beginning of the week (香蕉视频直播淣ot good news香蕉视频直播�), and knew there was a fire south of them, so the FireSmart meeting was arranged.

It was not the first time that Venables residents had talked about fire mitigation, and Paquette says that steps had been taken in the past to try to mitigate the potential for damage in the case of fire. There had also been training to help people deal with fires, and community members had successfully put out small lightning-caused fires in the past.

However, Paquette adds that a big part of dealing with fires is knowing when to escape.

香蕉视频直播淲e knew there was a fire, and that it might stay there or come here, but we didn香蕉视频直播檛 have much chance to discuss it,香蕉视频直播� says Paquette. 香蕉视频直播淲e were talking about how to deal with this fire, but it was announcing itself 香蕉视频直播� it was there in the sky, we saw flames over the ridge 香蕉视频直播� and it said 香蕉视频直播楴o, you香蕉视频直播檙e going to get out of the way香蕉视频直播� and did its thing.香蕉视频直播�

Evacuation was made easier, adds Paquette, because most members of the community were at the meeting and saw the threat.

香蕉视频直播淲hen this fire came to our valley there was no 香蕉视频直播楢re we going to fight this fire?香蕉视频直播� It was moving pretty fast and we were seeing trees light up like matches down the valley.

香蕉视频直播淭here was no argument; it was 香蕉视频直播楲et香蕉视频直播檚 evacuate now.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Paquette says that what followed was stressful.

香蕉视频直播淲e went home filled with adrenalin, and within two hours everyone was out. We had sheep and were trying to get them into our truck, but after an hour of them panicking we were unsuccessful. We have low expectations, but high hopes, that they香蕉视频直播檒l survive, be able to find food and shelter and water.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e hoping for the best for them, but we had to have priorities. In the future we香蕉视频直播檒l have equipment and training for [getting them out] if it happens again.香蕉视频直播�  

When residents left on Wednesday night there was uncertainty about what had happened, and an expectation that the village would be devastated. The next day they heard that the fire had not gone everywhere and that most structures were okay; then the wind picked up and there was another wave of fires in the valley.
Now residents are just waiting for the fire to be gone so that they can get a clear view of the situation.

香蕉视频直播淲e will reassess once we know and come up with a plan as a community of how to tackle that,香蕉视频直播� says Paquette. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the test of a community. I remain very hopeful. There are plenty of challenges in this world 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 the nature of this world 香蕉视频直播� and I hope that as a community we can face it. The most important thing is that there were no casualties.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e not out of the woods. It香蕉视频直播檚 devastation and part of nature, but at the same time humans have always been able to work around that and find great opportunities. Destruction can lead to new creation, and maybe it will help us rebuild better. We remain hopeful that we will be able to sustain our losses.香蕉视频直播�

In the meantime, the residents of Saranagati village have been relocated from Cache Creek to Kamloops. Paquette says that the Kamloops community has been very welcoming, which is helping them greatly, and he and his wife are trying to make sure their children don香蕉视频直播檛 feel the weight of the situation.

香蕉视频直播淭hey remain in high spirits, and they香蕉视频直播檙e still happy. We香蕉视频直播檙e trying to shelter them as best we can. We haven香蕉视频直播檛 told them yet that there are losses. We香蕉视频直播檙e waiting to see the full reality of it.香蕉视频直播�

Residents are also trying to gather together on a daily basis, to keep their morale high. 香蕉视频直播淭his calamity is a great opportunity to bring us closer together and allow us to absorb ourselves in the important things in life, in our spiritual life. Everything else is temporary.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e grateful for all the help and support that friends, and the larger community, have shown. It touches our hearts. And we acknowledge, and are grateful for, all the hard work firefighters are doing in this humongous task of protecting everyone from these wildfires. It香蕉视频直播檚 a devastating force that makes us seem insignificant, but at the same time shows the awesomeness of nature, and how we have no control over it.香蕉视频直播�

Paquette adds that while these wildfires are becoming more and more of a reality in B.C., he sees a silver lining.

香蕉视频直播淲e love our area and our community, and we want to work around this. Once the fire has gone it香蕉视频直播檚 exhausted its fuel, so we don香蕉视频直播檛 expect another fire that big anytime soon. Looking back, we could have been better at mitigation, but we have been trying, and it will definitely become more of a priority. There will be more motivation to do stuff on this, because we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to suffer any more loss.香蕉视频直播�

In the meantime, residents wait to see the full extent of the damage to the community they love.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e not getting our hopes up,香蕉视频直播� says Paquette. 香蕉视频直播淚t is what it is; we can香蕉视频直播檛 change anything. We香蕉视频直播檙e hoping.香蕉视频直播�