Fox Mountain fire evacuees Sam and Deb Muntean are leaning on each other for support as the couple, and now thousands of other Williams Lake residents, remain on evacuation alert.
“As long as we have each other and our critters, everything else can be replaced,” said Deb, patting her husband’s hand which rested on the tailgate of their truck, after talking with RCMP at the Fox Mountain check point.
“We’ve been together 41 years, what would we do without each other?”
Sam said he was coming home from work when he saw the fire cresting over the summit behind his house.
“I saw the flames and I said Deb we have to go. Grab the horses.”
The couple packed up their three horses, a parrot and two cats and headed for the Trail Riders Arena at the Stampede Grounds, where they have been long time members.
“We were ahead of the game.”
As of yesterday afternoon, the couple were staying in Williams Lake and making regular checks to Fox Mountain.