More wildfire evacuees are making their way to the Central Okanagan as resources in Kamloops get stretched thin.
Over 1,100 wildfire evacuees have checked in at the emergency reception centre in Kelowna since doors opened late last week.
“Saturday evening with the Lake Country fire things really amped up here and we were running 24 hours a day for a few days,” says Salvation Army Lead Pastor and Executive Director Darryl Burry “Starting on Saturday afternoon we started seeing evacuees from the Cariboo Region, in particular Williams Lake coming in and that’s been pretty consistent over the last couple of days.”
About 1,000 beds have been made available for those evacuees in Kelowna and West Kelowna but almost none of them have been used so far.
“I think there was one person the first night that’s taken advantage of that, and since that time that person is no longer in group lodging,” said Burry “so the beds are there but we don’t have the need for it right now because fortunately friends and family are accommodating all those who are evacuated at this time.”
Many evacuees coming through have been in shock and volunteers at the centre have been offering emotional and spiritual care.
Burry says the sense of community has been strong as Kelowna residents have stepped forward to volunteer at the centre and, even in their own time of need, some wildfire evacuees have volunteered to help as well.
“People who have been evacuated from their own community are now saying ‘we want to give back’, even right now, in the midst of their own evacuation," he said.
The centre is located at the Salvation Army at the corner of Sutherland Ave. and Burtch Rd. and is open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.