The mayor of Peachland is urging calm in a time of frayed nerves.
With the Mount Eneas fire having doubled in size to 1,000 hectares from 500 hectares on Thursday, a state of emergency was declared last night in the District of Peachland. Today, more than 600 properties in the south end of Peachland are now on evacuation alert.
“Right now, everyone is feeling a little bit tense and I don’t blame them,” Cindy Fortin, the mayor of Peachland, told Global News on Friday. “But I really think it’s important that everyone remain calm and know that we have just the most professional fire crews on site on all these fires, and they’re doing their very best.
“Safety is the No. 1 concern. I know there has been some discussion about why these fires weren’t hit sooner, but all that we’ll figure out later when it goes to review. But for right now, they’re doing their very best and they need our support in any way that we can give it.”
Fortin called the fires terrible, but added bad times also bring out the best in people.
“I’m really thrilled that the community has come together. We see people offering spaces in their homes for people and pets, horse trailers are available if anyone needs help . . . even the local taxi company has offered to give free rides if they need them. People are offering to help people move.
“Peachland is a great community and the people are really coming together, and that’s what’s important at this time. We’ll review it later, we’ll find out exactly why they made the decisions they did, and hopefully we won’t get wind today and everything will work out for everyone.”
South of Peachland, 41 properties are on evacuation order, while another 43 properties in the South Okanagan regional district are also on evacuation order.
Placed on evacuation alert last year, Fortin knows firsthand the stress of having to decide what’s important and what to leave behind.
“It’s a really awful feeling to think about what’s most precious,” she said, adding people and pets top the list. “And it is very stressful. I remember last year just running back and forth in the house and looking at which pictures or paintings, after I got everything else packed, that I thought were most important.
“I completely understand how they’re feeling and I just keep repeating that it’s important to remain calm. Because if you get too worked up, too uptight, then it’s not helping anything.”
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