B.C. Wildfires impacting wildlife ‘evacuees’ are getting care in Delta

People, pets and livestock aren’t the only species being driven from their homes by the wildfires that have been ravaging B.C.’s interior for close to a month.

While many wild creatures successfully escaped the fires on their own, others need help. In particular, three baby sharp-shinned hawks.

The trio was rescued near Williams Lake and brought to the Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (OWL) in Delta.

“A lot of the parents are able to fly away from the fire and the smoke but fledglings and branchers are left behind and usually are incinerated unless they’re lucky enough to be found,” Rob Hope from OWL said.

That was the luck of the three baby hawks when a firefighter found them alone and in an emaciated condition.

READ MORE: B.C. wildfires map 2017: Current location of wildfires around the province

The evacuation order for some Williams Lake residents was lifted Thursday, almost two weeks after residents were forced to leave their homes. The town is still on alert, however, and some orders do remain in place. Find all the details here.

Overall, wildfires are continuing to wreak havoc in the B.C. interior and more people have been forced to flee their homes. There are still 300 firefighters on the front lines in the region, building fuel breaks and trying to protect homes. On Thursday morning, fire officials said crews had some success overnight and the winds died down, which was good news.

READ MORE: B.C. wildfire status Thursday: wildfires grow, putting communities on edge

Under the care of OWL, the babies are now putting on weight.

“One of the babies had a broken leg so they could have actually bailed from the nest and been running on the ground and just so happened that the fireman found him,” Hope said.

Any day now OWL will be getting another refugee — a young falcon known as Merlin. But even birds not driven away by fire are being impacted by the wildfires.

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Hope said they got an entire nest of young saw-whet owls that were rescued before the fires even began. Their nesting tree had been cut down, leaving them homeless. While the owls are ready to go home, they can’t because of the wildfires.

“We are just waiting for the fires to reside before sending them back up to Williams Lake for release,” he said.

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The same goes for four kestrels that could be released in the Lower Mainland but it’s important they be returned to Central B.C., where Hope says so many of this year’s young birds have perished.

“By getting these guys back there hopefully it’ll add some to the population and they’ll continue to do what they have to do,” Hope said.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says it is preparing for a very busy few days ahead, and it is expecting a number of new fires to start.

The weather will not be helping matters.

Global BC meteorologist Yvonne Schalle said Thursday there is still the chance of an isolated thunderstorm in the central interior.

~ with files from Amy Judd and Linda Aylesworth