B.C. man defied wildfire evacuation order, then called for help

BC Wildfire Service officials are reiterating the importance of heeding evacuation orders after a man defied one near Chasm on Tuesday, only to require rescue hours later when the fire began surrounding his property. The man was safely extracted, but the incident highlights the dangers of remaining in an area under an evacuation order.

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When those crews needed to go and rescue that person, it took them away from their ability to fight the fire in that area and protect other values on that landscape: people’s structures and homes.

Bryce Moreira, an incident commander with the BC Wildfire Service, emphasized the strain such rescues place on firefighting resources. "When those crews needed to go and rescue that person, it took them away from their ability to fight the fire in that area and protect other values on that landscape: people’s structures and homes," Moreira stated.

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I want to assure residents we are doing everything we can to fight this fire, but when you stay back you are putting yourself and your family at risk; you’re putting the safety of our wildland firefighters at risk because if they know you’re there, their focus is on you and not the fire.

Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar echoed this sentiment, urging residents to prioritize their safety and that of firefighters. "When you stay back you are putting yourself and your family at risk; you’re putting the safety of our wildland firefighters at risk because if they know you’re there, their focus is on you and not the fire," he said.

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Some people are equipped to stay behind in certain emergencies. And some are even willing to die to protect their own livelihoods. And I believe that’s a choice that they should be allowed to make.

However, some residents feel officials are unfairly portraying those who defy orders. Attila Banhegyi, a man from Boston Bar, argued that the decision to stay can be nuanced, with some individuals possessing the expertise and willingness to protect their own livelihoods, even at personal risk. Meanwhile, the Ambulance Paramedics of BC issued a statement urging compliance with evacuation orders, noting that choosing to stay can necessitate dangerous rescue operations that could otherwise be avoided.

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Choosing to remain behind places not only you and your family at risk, but may also require firefighters, paramedics, police, and search and rescue teams to conduct dangerous rescue operations that could otherwise have been avoided.