Dark day for fire victims

Hundreds of people from the fire-ravaged area of the Thompson Valley north of Kamloops are finding out on Wednesday whether their homes survived the huge McLure/Barriere fire.

Tolko mill

Regional district officials have completed their damage assessment for Louis Creek, Barriere and other areas hard hit by the flames.

Grief counsellors have been called in to help with the notification process.

In the meantime, many of the evacuees are also wondering how they'll survive the loss of their jobs. The fire destroyed the Tolko sawmill – the largest employer in the area.

Mel Lepinsky who was forced to flee last Friday says he's worried about his home. But he's even more worried about whether the mill will be rebuilt.

• INTERVIEW: The Early Edition's Kevin Sylvester speaks with Mel Lepinsky's wife, Marguerite. (Runs 7:34)

NASA satellite picture of B.C. fires (Aug. 3)

Lepinsky also wonders if the small community has any future without the jobs provided by the mill.

"Probably a welfare situation," he says. "There's nothing left for us if I can't go back to work."

But the IWA's Al Bowerman says there are good reasons to keep a mill at Louis Creek. "Tolko's traditional lumber or timber supply is in that region, so we anticipate that mill being rebuilt."

• LINK: Latest McLure/Barriere Fire fact sheet (PDF)

B.C. Fires Image Gallery

Meanwhile, thunderstorms sparked dozens of new wildfires overnight. The B.C. Forest Service says 32 new blazes have been spotted in the Kamloops fire region since Wednesday afternoon, with three of them reported to be serious.

The high winds also fuelled the Barriere/McClure fire, which grew overnight to cover an estimates 160-square kilometres. Officials say they're trying to track its movement and place fire guards in its path.

• FROM AUG. 5, 2003: Fire battle remains 'critical,' says premier

Info line

For more information on fire evacuees: 1-888-350-6070

Premier Gordon Campbell, who flew over the area on Tuesday, says 75 homes in the area – and the mill – have been levelled by the fire.

"The homes that are down, you look and you can see just the spindles of a chimney that's managed to stay standing," said Campbell. "It's like a vacuum sucked the life out of the area."

• INTERVIEW: Canada Now's Clare MacIntyre speaks with Premier Gordon Campbell. (Runs 4:43)

Agencies helping fire victims

Salvation Army 604-299-3908

Canadian Red Cross 1-888-350-6070

Disaster Child Care Sociery 250-489-0036

St. John's Ambulance 250-372-3853

Adventist Development Relief Agency 1-800-424-2372

Mennonite Disaster Service 866-261-1274

Donations for B.C. fire relief can be dropped off at any branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia

500 firefighters are battling the blaze, reinforced by by more than 100 soldiers from Edmonton.

• LINK: Map of fire zone

Meanwhile crews report making good progress against the other two fires – the Cedar Hills fire in the Falkland-Armstrong area, and the Strawberry Hill blaze on the northern outskirts of Kamloops.

• LINK: Latest Cedar Hills fire fact sheet (PDF)

• LINK: Latest Strawberry Hill fire fact sheet(PDF)

Prime Minister Jean Chretien says there will be federal relief money, based on the existing federal formula for disaster assistance.

That will be determined after provincial officials complete a calculation of the total damages.

• LINK: Provincial Emergency Program

To the northwest, an evacuation alert has been issued for several small communities threatened by B.C.'s biggest wildfire – the Chilko Lake fire which now covers almost 300-square kilometres in the Chilcotin area.

Residents of Chilko Lake, Anahim reserve, Alexis Creek and the Nemiah Valley have all been warned the should be ready to flee on very short notice.

An evacuation reception centre has been set up at the Cariboo Memorial Complex in Williams Lake should evacuation become necessary.

• INDEPTH: Fighting forest fires

• VIDEO: Deborah Goble reports on how fire crews use weather information to combat the fires. (Runs 2:18)

• DEBRIEF: B.C. Almanac's Mark Forsythe speaks with CBC reporter David French. (Runs 4:02)