Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis said those disobeying evacuation orders are sa国际传媒渘othing but selfishsa国际传媒� and they wonsa国际传媒檛 be provided structural protection if the White Rock Lake wildfire continues to advance.

As of Friday afternoon (Aug. 6), the 43,500-hectare fire is burning only five kilometres west of Westside Road and more than 1,050 members of OKIB have already been evacuated, some having to travel to Penticton to find accommodations.

In a 1 p.m. update, the band said the fire is likely to reach the Whiteman area by this evening.

sa国际传媒淎s of this moment, we havensa国际传媒檛 lost any buildings to the fire, but that could change today,sa国际传媒� the update reads.

Reports, however, of people refusing to abide by evacuation orders have Louis, an evacuee himself, frustrated.

sa国际传媒淭here should be a requirement that they do have to move,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭hey put our emergency response, firefighters and police at jeopardy.sa国际传媒�

BC Wildfire Services and structural protection units cansa国际传媒檛 drop water or retardant on occupied homes, Louis said, which means neighbours and the community as a whole will be affected by individuals who choose to stay behind.

sa国际传媒淒o these people have a right to jeopardize us?sa国际传媒� he asked, noting everyone else under the order who evacuated as instructed would have their homes put at risk due to the actions of one.

BC Wildfire Services and RCMP said people refusing to abide by orders put themselves and first responders at risk.

sa国际传媒淏ut those who chose to stay put my staff at tremendous risk in the path of the fire to get them out of harmsa国际传媒檚 way,sa国际传媒� BC Wildfire Services incident commander Scott Rennick said Thursday, Aug. 5. sa国际传媒淒o not put my people in the position that some others did today.sa国际传媒�

If a first responder were to lose their life in a rescue mission involving someone who refused to follow orders, Louis said that individual should be held responsible whether itsa国际传媒檚 jail time or fines.

sa国际传媒淚ndividuals do not have the right to jeopardize otherssa国际传媒� lives,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 like neighbours donsa国际传媒檛 think they have any effect. People basically have no feelings for anyone but themselves. Why should we coddle them?sa国际传媒�

The Okanagan Indian Band had started its community emergency plan when it flooded four years ago and evacuation protocol was established. Then, the band had to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

sa国际传媒淣ow all of a sudden we have fires,sa国际传媒� Louis said, noting those experiences helped prepare the bandsa国际传媒檚 emergency protocols and support services.

sa国际传媒淥ur ESS has been exceptional and our staff sa国际传媒� from communications to logistics to firefighting coordination sa国际传媒� those people are phenomenal.sa国际传媒�

Louis also gave a grateful nod to his counterparts in neighbouring jurisdictions, including the Regional District of North Okanagan, the City of Vernon, Thompson-Nicola Regional District and beyond.

For up-to-date information regarding evacuation orders and alerts in place for the , visit or Okanagan Indian Band on Facebook sa国际传媒� but Chief Louis says donsa国际传媒檛 use that social media platform to air out your own grievances.

sa国际传媒淥ur website is not a place for your personal views whether you are a member or non-member,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淒o not use our site for venting personal views.sa国际传媒�

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