B.C.sa国际传媒檚 Emergency Managament Minister Bowinn Ma says that while she understands itsa国际传媒檚 a remarkably difficult time for British Columbians living in areas under evacuation order, not evacuating can lead to even more risk.

During the latest update on the B.C. wildfire situation Wednesday (Aug. 23), Ma said she knows some people want to stay and fight the fires around their homes, but it is also her duty to be clear about the risks to people and emergency crews.

sa国际传媒淲hen unauthorized people are in evacuation areas it escalates the danger involved for everyone. It also limits the kind of wildfire fighting tactics that the BC wildfire service can deploy.sa国际传媒�

She said it directs critical resources away from the wildfire fight itself in searching for moved equipment, redoing work thatsa国际传媒檚 already been done to set up structural protection or sa国际传媒渏ust trying to manage an unpredictable situation made even more unpredictable by well-meaning but uncoordinated firefighting efforts.sa国际传媒�

It has become an sa国际传媒渋ncreasingly divisive issuesa国际传媒� within the community and outside.

sa国际传媒淟et me be clear, our collective fight is with the wildfire. But in order to do this, our effort needs to be united, we need to work together, not against each other.sa国际传媒�

In recent days, there have been issues with people not following evacuation orders, as well as firefighting equipment being stolen in the North Shuswap.

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Ma said BC Wildfire Service is sa国际传媒渁ctively working to open up a dialogue with those behind the lines who are refusing to leave to try to create an understanding of the seriousness of the situation.sa国际传媒� Officials are reaching out to skilled, experienced people in the Shuswap to try and incorporate them into their work.

sa国际传媒淲e cansa国际传媒檛 have equipment thatsa国际传媒檚 been staged for firefighters being moved and itsa国际传媒檚 not there when itsa国际传媒檚 needed. That puts the whole unified strategy at risk and it puts people and their homes at risk.sa国际传媒�

Last week, BC Wildfire Service operations director Cliff Chapman said there were a few instances were wildfire service staff and RCMP had to go back into evacuation zones to get people out.

sa国际传媒淭hat puts peoplesa国际传媒檚 lives at risk,sa国际传媒� said Chapman, adding it also takes a significant toll on staff trying to get people out of the way of fires moving sa国际传媒渁t rates we rarely see in British Columbia.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: RCMP helping to evacuate British Columbians, secure areas