Thompson Nicola Regional District hires recovery manager to oversee wildfire relief efforts
'This is an opportunity for me to step in and bring some experience to the table'
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has hired Bob Finley as a recovery manager charged with organizing wildfire relief efforts and assisting residents affected by last summer's B.C. wildfires.
The former manager of development service for the Thompson-Nicola Regional came out of his seven-year retirement to step into the role starting Nov. 6.
Finley said his experience during the 2003 wildfire season will help him in the new job.
"I know how distraught and how confused landowners and homeowners were [in 2003] when they lost property, and I thought that this is an opportunity for me to step in and be able to bring some experience to the table and hopefully help those folks out," he said.
Finley's role will be to help guide people through the process of wildfire recovery and answer any questions they might have.
The temporary job is scheduled to last between four to six months, but Finley said that timeframe could be adjusted if needed.
"It's likely to evolve and change as we spend more time engaging with the property owners who have been impacted."
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District estimates more than 230 structures were destroyed or significantly damaged by wildfires this past summer.
Finley's contact information can be found on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District's website.