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LETTER: Think before rushing for a wildfire picture

Residents need to move quickly during a fire evacuation order

Dear Editor:

As a resident of Garnet Valley and having gone through two fires in successive years, I am writing to ask that the people of Summerland and our tourists think twice before racing ‘out to see’ the fires, or heading out on the lake to get close for the perfect picture.

Not only are you risking the safety of each and every firefighter and first responder, but you are placing residents in the affected areas at risk.

On the night the Mount Eneas fire expanded, Summerland firefighters knew it was approaching rapidly and were preparing for the call from the Ministry of Forests as it approached our boundaries.

This meant rapid deployment of their resources down a single road.

However, Garnet Valley Road that night was a steady stream of people going in and out, impeding first responders from doing their job.

Further, it did not allow those of us who live here to move out our livestock and possessions from the affected area in a timely manner.

By being delayed, we may not have been able to remove these items in time to save them if an evacuation order had been issued sooner.

This is not acceptable when time is of the essence.

Likewise, there is no reason for boats to be in the way of planes and helicopters getting water to put out fires.

Our beautiful lake is large enough for all to enjoy and still provide safety and distance for our pilots. Going swimming or boating too close is reckless for both!

Please think twice before you place others in danger!

These are our homes and our lives. With the volume of people flooding into these areas and the stress on our first responders, if one accident had happened, it would have caused absolute chaos.

This risks causing loss of lives and structures; something that was thankfully avoided this time.

Forest fires are a fact of life and becoming ever more prevalent and unpredictable.

Wake up and realize that putting yourself in harm’s way for a picture is hardly worth your life or the lives of our dedicated emergency personnel.

Heather L. Norrish

Summerland

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