Areas northeast of Nazko, Highway 20 to south of Tzenzaicut Lake and the remaining Tŝideldel/Redstone areas are no longer under evacuation alert, the Cariboo Regional District and Tsideldel First Nation announced Tuesday.
Tsi Del Del Chief Ervin Charleyboy told the Tribune Wednesday his community was never in direct threat from the wildfires.
“The closest fire was about 20 miles away,” he said.
One of the immediate impacts of the wildfires on his community, however, was hosting evacuees from Tl’etinqox (Anaham) First Nation, which is about half an hour east from Redstone along Highway 20.
“We put the evacuees up in our gym and had groceries flown in on a big chopper,” Charleyboy said.
Where his community has been hit the hardest is in the foresty industry as the community operates its own foresty company, Tsi Del Del Enterprises.
Charleyboy said they’ve lost wood that burned at Miner Lake due to the Kleena Kleene fire.
“It was all bunched and waiting to get skidded in,” he explained. “Some of our cutblocks burned in Chezacut country too.”
Critical of how the fires have been handled, specifically when and where there were backburns, the chief said when it’s all over he plans to call a big meeting with ranchers and government.
“I keep thinking about the Fire Storm 2003 Provincial Review by Gary Filman and all the recommendations. I don’t think any of them were followed.”
Recalling the fires of 1958, Charleyboy said he has been telling everyone that summer was also very dry and hot and there were fires all over.
“Back then all the locals got together and we put the fires out,” he said.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 12 the Plateau Fire, believed to be caused by lightning, is an estimated 521,648 hectares.
Plateau North
According to the BC Wildfire Service, north of Nazko crews are mopping up and patrolling the fire’s edge along Redwater Creek, as well as along the MacKay Creek drainage.
Crews are also mopping up and patrolling the fire’s edge along the 5800 and 5800 A Road area. At the 3900 Road and at Marmot Lake Road crews are conducting mop up and patrol.
At the southeast of Nazko, guard is being installed in the fire area immediately north and south of Wentworth Creek.
Plateau South
In the southeast portion of the fire, crew and equipment will continue to build and solidify guards, monitor and work scanned hot spots along the northern perimeter.
Southwest of Nazko Lake Park, crews will continue with mop-up and patrol and will start demobilization where conditions allow.
In the Chezacut, crews are patrolling in the China Bowl and Chezacut Ranch areas and will continue with mop-up efforts. Demob will start where conditions allow.
There are 401 firefighters, eight helicopters and 94 heavy equipment are working on the entire fire.
An evacuation alert remains in place for the Kluskus, Blackwater, Clisbako and Nazko Area.