Protesters try to bypass RCMP wildfire blockade amid rising tensions in B.C.'s Shuswap region
Police say no one was arrested in confrontation, but residents need to respect evacuation orders
The B.C. Wildfire Service has confirmed it temporarily pulled out crews fighting fires in the province's Shuswap region after protesters showed up at an RCMP roadblock Wednesday evening in what police say was an effort to "overwhelm'' the blockade.
Police say protesters challenged officers at the blockade on the Trans-Canada Highway, and "threats of violence'' against emergency workers had prompted the Mounties to increase their presence there.
Live social media videos of the incident posted Wednesday evening show about 20 protesters confronting a blockade of police cars near the lakeside community of Sorrento.
They tell officers they do not believe politicians have the right to prevent them using the road, and that it is illegal for the RCMP to block it.
The group, which organized itself on Facebook, had hoped to rally enough support to push through the closure to enter the evacuation zone, saying they planned to support property owners still fighting fires inside.
"This is a warning to all you Canadians out there, this is what's coming," says one man after confronting police in a video of the Sorrento incident, referring to the police blockade at the intersection of Blind Bay Road.
The group dispersed after about an hour without any reports of violence.
B.C. Wildfire Service crews in the area are fighting the 410-square-kilometre Bush Creek East fire that has destroyed an unknown number of properties and triggered evacuation orders covering about 11,000 people.
Wildfire service information officer Forrest Tower said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference crews fighting the Bush Creek East fire were temporarily reassigned based on information from police that the area was unsafe for wildfire personnel.
Posts to social media confirmed it but were later deleted by the wildfire service, Tower said, in an effort "to not give something steam that didn't and doesn't deserve to have it,'' he said. "We know the power of social media in terms of making something bigger than it might be.''
RCMP confirmed Thursday morning that no one was arrested in the confrontation, and no charges are expected.
"Fortunately, our officers are well trained, were able to de-escalate and the situation was quickly resolved safely without incident," Southeast District RCMP spokesperson Cpl. James Grandy said in a written statement.
Police say the area covered by evacuation orders is not safe because of active fires, downed power lines, and unstable trees and buildings.
"While we understand and sympathize with the residents of the North Shuswap, there is a process in place through the local Emergency Operations Centre that needs to be followed to ensure the safety of everyone," Grandy said.
'Outside characters'
Tensions have been mounting in the Shuswap, which is one of B.C.'s hardest-hit areas this wildfire season.
Wildfire service information officer Forrest Tower told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops on Thursday that the confrontation at the blockade does not appear to have originated with locals who have chosen to defy evacuation orders.
"It's definitely a tense situation," he said. "From my understanding, this is not the people that are actively trying to firefight and work in there. It's just some outside characters that are definitely voicing their opinions."
That sentiment was echoed by Derek Sutherland, director of the emergency operations centre for the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, who said several local residents have reached out to express their concern about Wednesday's events.
"They are not supportive of the 'freedom convoy' that was coming to the area. ... They very adamantly wanted to express that," he told reporters Thursday.
Daniel Shoemaker and his wife Rita heard the commotion over the convoy Thursday. They live on the stretch of highway where the roadblock is in place. After learning it was organized by people outside the community, they were not supportive.
"I can understand if it was people from the community, but if you're not from that community, stay out, you have no right being there," said Daniel Shoemaker. "Even if you're travelling. If you see the sign, it says it's closed, why try to go through it?"
Wildfire service says it wants to work with residents
Tower added that the wildfire service wants to collaborate with residents who have stayed behind and are fighting the fires.
"We are working toward folding those people into our operations," he said.
On Wednesday, Tower said one option is hiring residents as emergency firefighters if they have a "base level" of training and safety certifications.
"We have gone as far as that, and it works very well," Tower told a news conference.
"There's the option to just be more involved in our operational activities. It just comes back to communication and the willingness at some level to take direction from someone in B.C. Wildfire."
During the regional district's daily news briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Tracy Hughes pledged to put in the time and effort to address the strained relationship between government officials and some residents.
"It's going to be a very long recovery process. We know that we need to rebuild trust, and we know in all good relationships that's going to have to come from both sides," she said.
B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said Wednesday the B.C. Wildfire Service had "opened a dialogue" to understand why some are defying the orders, but the directives carry legal weight and defiance of them must end.
Firefighting efforts in the region have been aided by ample rain that fell Tuesday and Wednesday over the Okanagan and Shuswap regions. However, increasing temperatures and winds are expected to bring rising fire activity in both regions.
Tower says Bush Creek East remains the province's top priority wildfire, and up to 150 more firefighters were scheduled to arrive on-site Wednesday and today to further contain the blaze.
About 370 fires were burning across the province Thursday, including 14 wildfires of note that are highly visible or pose a threat to people or property. To the south of the Shuswap, fires in the Central Okanagan have destroyed or damaged more than 180 properties, officials said Wednesday.
With files from CBC News and Daybreak Kamloops