Dease Lake – Community Meeting Minutes – Aug 28

Community Update Meeting Minutes

Dease Lake

August 28, 2018

Hugh Murdoch, BC Wildfire Service

  • Bucketed all day today – fuel now staged from TC
  • Heavy precipitation today: 12mm 70 mile, 4.5 TC; humidity is up, temps down
  • Structural protection on DFO facility, fire within 500m – “back has been broken on this fire”; not over though
  • Numbers will decrease on staffing, but watching fire and associated trigger points closely
  • Fortunate that we didn’t have to move forward with the planned burn
  • That said, road has become dangerous – one vehicle in a ditch, fuel bowser had to be pulled; many trees coming down
  • The Ministry of Transportation is getting more aggressive on removing danger trees by road, though avoidance more dangerous than a car getting hit
  • Heavy equipment will be along road

FLNRO operations

  • Transitioning from firefighting to rehabilitation/recovery….terrain stability, erosion, slope control (especially around fire guards).
  • Flight tomorrow with 2 geotechs, looking at roads and slopes

Bob, Regional District of Kitimat/Stikine

  • Plans in motion for recovery strategy; plan was well-received by residents
  • Working in conjunction with Tahltan, even if funding sources are different
  • Goal is to make things equitable between Band and non-band neighbours
  • Questions on lifting order: fire may be wanting but danger still exists in other ways; once cleanup is done and community safe, only then will all-clear be given

Bob Mills, EMBC

  • Will be stepping up information sharing during the day, based on request for more information sharing from residents outside Dease
  • Anita will handle Terrace info, someone else in Smithers; daily SitRep will be posted on Tahltan web site

Andy, Samaritan’s Purse

  • SP handling sifting of ash, based on owner permission and presence (or advocate)
    • free service, trained staff
    • 250-771-3056