Convoy to road blockage Shuswap
Yesterday, August 23, over twenty concerned residents drove in a convoy to the road block on the Trans Canada Highway {TCH} at Sorrento. The intention of the convoy was to deliver essential food, water, and fuel to people who are protecting their homes in North Shore Evacuation order area.
People gathered in the parking lot at the Blind Bay community center at 6.00 PM as detailed on the poster shared through the social media. Twenty minutes later the convoy started to move toward the road block on the TCH.
Upon their arrival, they asked the patrolling RCMP officers for access to the evacuation order area and were denied. The people talked with the RCMP officers, questioning whether the roadblock was actually legal and explaining the illegality of the blocking of the highway. The officers said they were simply “following orders” and for these concerned people to take their grievances up with the CSRD.
There were 13 law enforcement vehicles including police and SWAT team cruisers as one witness reported. Some time later the convoy turned around and participants dispersed.
https://rumble.com/v3b92dx-their-stealing-shuswap-part-1.html
On August 23 the Anglemont Marina which is in the Evacuation ALERT zone was forced to shut down. After numerous requests for a permit from the CSRD to obtain propane to run their generator they have received no response. Anglemont Marina is within evacuation alert zone, which was a supply hub distributing essential goods to residents of the North Shore.
On the same day the BCWS announced that all BC wildfire service unit crews, contractors, heavy equipment operators and structural firefighters from the North Shuswap area will be reassigned to other areas of the Bush Creek East and Rossmoore Lake wildfires. Effective August 24th no crews are to access the fire through Squilax and there will be no crews working on the Scotch Creek side of things. These actions were taken because, ”the attempted dismantling of the checkpoint environment is unsafe for BC Wildfire Service Operations.” In reality there was no attempt to dismantle the road block, only a desire to deliver food, water and fuel.
Relocation of the firefighters was also confirmed during today CSRD information briefing by the speaker of the BCWS. {minutes 25:50}
It is very unfortunate that an adversarial climate has now been created between local residents who are legitimately concerned about friends and neighbours on the north shore and the BCWS, law enforcement and the CSRD. While there are legitimate safety reasons for shutting down power and consequently some water supplies in the evacuation order zone, there is also a case to be made for home owners attempting to save their property. Many north shore residents claim to have seen few if any firefighters in their area and their efforts in putting out spot fires have saved many structures.
The removal of crews from the area appears to be a punitive response to the convoy at Sorrento on Wednesday evening. Both sides must try and support each others efforts, each side can learn from the other. Residents from the affected communities have an intimate knowledge of the topography and structures while the BCWS has access to necessary supplies and fire fighting equipment.
DB, CB
