Wildfires prompt evacuation orders, alerts in B.C.
Poll
yes
By Nick Wells, The Canadian Press on July 15, 2021.
A wildfire burns in the mountains north of Lytton, B.C., on Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A lack of resources is forcing officials in British Columbia to triage the wildfire fight to focus on the blazes that threaten lives and safety.
Relentless heat has parched the province, fuelling more than 300 fires, which have forced residents in more than 2,800 properties to evacuate while 10,000 more are on alert and have been told to get ready to leave.
Kurtis Isfeld, the deputy director of the BC Wildfire Service, said in a briefing Thursday the same issues impacting B.C., such as dry weather, are also problems in other provinces, leaving less resources to share.
Yet, the responses of the two different organizations couldn’t have been more different.
The most recent rogue was John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.
On July 12, he admitted that he had hired a private eye to not only spy on senior government officials in Manitoba to see if they were complying with COVID-19 restrictions, but on Glenn Joyal, chief justice of Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench.
Joyal, who is hearing the case of seven rural churches that violated COVID restrictions by staying open, raised the matter in court, where Justice Centre lawyers are asking for parts of the provincial public health act to be declared unconstitutional.
“We wanted to do it with a bang,” said part-owner Cindy Pendergast with a laugh. “We wanted it to be the very first legal cannabis delivery in British Columbia history.”
The prohibition-themed store on Beacon Avenue is owned by Pendergast, son Zach Pendergast and husband Brad Styles. It has 11 employees and is licensed by the province and municipality.
Customers can order a delivery by phone or online from the store, which is aiming for one or two deliveries per day. Pendergast expects staff will often be able to walk to customers, although the store could also step up to using an electric car or bicycle.
Wildfires prompt evacuation orders, alerts in B.C.
Poll
Yes
A wildfire burns in the mountains north of Lytton, B.C., on Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A lack of resources is forcing officials in British Columbia to triage the wildfire fight to focus on the blazes that threaten lives and safety.
Relentless heat has parched the province, fuelling more than 300 fires, which have forced residents in more than 2,800 properties to evacuate while 10,000 more are on alert and have been told to get ready to leave.
Kurtis Isfeld, the deputy director of the BC Wildfire Service, said in a briefing Thursday the same issues impacting B.C., such as dry weather, are also problems in other provinces, leaving less resources to share.
Entire communities ready to leave on short notice as B C wildfires rage thestarphoenix.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestarphoenix.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.