Village of Salmo Deactivates Emergency Operations Centre
By Nelson Daily Staff
The Village of Salmo deactivated its Level 1 satellite Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) effective Tuesday.
The Emergency Operations Centre was established on August 10, 2017 to collaborate and communicate with emergency management stakeholders related to the McCormick Creek wildfire located 20 kilometers outside the Village limits.
During the past two weeks, the Village of Salmo received McCormick Creek wildfire evacuees, implemented emergency management plans in the case of a possible evacuation of Shambhala Festival and ensured the public was well informed of fire conditions and potential threats.
“The Village will continue to monitor wildfire threat,” says Salmo EOC Director Diane Kalen-Sukra said in a media release.
“However, there is no immediate threat to Salmo residents of either an evacuation alert, evacuation order or the need to receive evacuees.”
The McCormick Creek fire is listed at 410 hectares and is 50 percent contained.
The BC Wildfire Service said smoke may continue to be visible from Highway 6, and the Salmo area.
Currently 54 firefighters on the ground with the assistance of one helicopter and six pieces of heavy machinery continue to battle the blaze.
“Hand guard and water delivery systems are established,” BC Wildfire Service said.
“Crews continue to burn off small pockets of unused fuels to re-enforce control lines. No significant growth was experienced on this fire overnight.”
DriveBC said the road between the junction of Highway 3/6 and Canada/US border at Nelway is now open to traffic.
The Village of Salmo would like to thank the many emergency responders, managers and coordinators on the local, regional and provincial level with special thanks to the Regional District of Central Kootenay EOC, BC Wildfire, South East Region Provincial EOC (PREOC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS/Paramedics), Red Cross/Salmo ESS volunteers, Office of the Fire Commissioner’s Kootenay Task Force including the sprinkler protection unit of the Canyon-Lister Fire Department and the fire departments of Ootischenia, Blewett, Beasley, and Castlegar.
“We would also like to thank everyone who extended their hearts, resources and homes to help out,” said Kalen-Sukra. “This includes the local businesses, restaurants, grocery stores and hotels that served emergency personnel and evacuees.”
Participating local businesses included Cottontail Club Restaurant, Dragonfly Café, Pend O’Reille Restaurant, Blue Coyote Bed & Bale, Sal-Crest Motel, Reno Motel, Salmo Foods and Salmo Shop Easy.
The Village of Salmo also expresses much gratitude to the local contractors, equipment and personnel whose critical work included building containment lines on the McCormick Creek Wildfire. These companies included Custom-Dozing, Ed Tebulte’s Logging, and Glover Contracting.
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