Village of Slocan residents ordered out as Kootenay wildfire spreads

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SLOCAN VALLEY — An evacuation order has been issued for Village of Slocan residents in the West Kootenay region.

The village in the Slocan Valley where Slocan Lake turns into the Slocan River is a destination summer tourist spot and has been on evacuation alert for over a week as a series of wildfires threatened the area.

On Friday the village of around 300 homes and businesses was quiet, except for local firefighters and those from across Western Canada and Australia present to prevent encroachment from the out-of-control Mulvey Creek wildfire to the west and the Ponderosa fire to the southeast.

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The smoke-shrouded village was on tenterhooks, with all but a few tourists having already left. Highway 6 north from Slocan has been closed since July 18 when the two big fires were identified.

The Village of Silverton on the east side of Slocan Lake has been evacuated since July 24 due to the Aylwin Creek and Komonko Creek wildfires.

The Slocan Fire Hall in the south of the settlement was bustling on Friday with helicopters landing, B.C. Wildfire Service vehicles coming and going and building protection crews present, backed by semi-trailers.

According to a Regional District of Central Kootenay statement issued at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday July 27, all village residents must leave by Sunday at 8 a.m. on the advice of the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Despite the order, some residents and business owners are expected to stay.

A local business had set up a watering system, with the proprietor saying they would stay, after sending away valuable items.

No properties have been destroyed by the Slocan Valley fire complex.

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dcarrigg@postmedia.com

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