As the Bald Range wildfire continues to burn, Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee hopes to shed some light on the situation.
Boultbee said the fire was still growing slowly, but not as quickly as before. She added that wildfire suppression resources had been fighting the fire from the outset.
While the fire has brought difficulty and devastation, Boultbee highlighted the strength of the community.
“The incredible generosity of everyone coming together, looking after one another and I’m so inspired looking at all the volunteers and local businesses donating food and water and assisting each other.”
“The community is really strong.”
The province declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon. Boultbee said there had been some misunderstanding about what the declaration means.
She said it gives the province powers that could include securing accommodations in case of a sudden surge of evacuees, imposing travel restrictions to keep roads clear for emergency responders, rationing supplies and taking measures to prevent price gouging.
Boultbee said the declaration does not, by itself, add wildfire suppression resources.
She encouraged people to download the BC Wildfire Service app to stay up to date on the wildfire situation.
