Lower Post evacuees 'all one strong community,' as wildfire grows

People forced to flee from Lower Post, B.C., earlier this week got some encouraging news on Thursday evening — no additional buildings had been lost to wildfire, as firefighters managed to keep the growing fire at bay.

The nearby Lutz Creek fire has grown to an estimated 6,000 hectares in size, according to B.C. fire officials.

A day earlier, news had come to the evacuees from Lower Post — forced by an evacuation order to wait in nearby Watson Lake, Yukon — that three homes in their small community had been destroyed.

One of the homes belonged to Malcolm Groat, a Daylu Dena councillor who spoke at the Thursday evening briefing for community members, in Watson Lake.

He choked back tears as he pointed out that although he'd lost his home, no one from Lower Post has been hurt in the fires.  

"Here we are, all together still — all one strong community," he said.

Selena Pye of Lower Post also spoke on Thursday, and thanked Yukoners who have come to the community's aid with donated goods and support. She also talked about organizing events in Watson Lake — such as a movie night, a dance, or a bingo — to keep up morale.

"We all need each other, we all need to be together, we have to make sure we connect," she said.

It's still not clear when the evacuees will be able to return home.

"We won't allow that to happen, obviously, until there is no further risk to personal safety as well as those properties. That can take a substantial amount of time," said Jody Lucius of the B.C. Wildfire Service.

The weather forecast for the area is offering some encouragement, though, with a cooler temperatures and a chance of rain over the weekend.

Let us fight that fire, evacuees say

Some evacuees, tired of cooling their heels in Watson Lake, say they're ready to join the fight to save their community from wildfires.

"Allow us to get back into Lower Post and fight that fire," said Emil Dendys. 

"I don't understand why they're not just taking us in and letting us go," he said, referring to the B.C. and Yukon fire crews who are battling the blaze.

Dendys said he and many others from Lower Post have experience fighting wildfires.

"We all were initial attack crew," he said. "All we've got to do is put the suits on, and go at it. So that's what I'm saying."

Tony Falcao, deputy manager with B.C.'s Northwest Fire Centre, says volunteers are welcome, but they would first need to spend a day on training and orientation. Falcao says it's about safety.

But Dendys is impatient to get to work.

"I don't need day training ... I understand what's gonna happen, and how," he said.

Donny Boya, who says he's lived in Lower Post all of his life, is also anxious to get back home and help out. Like Dendys, he says he's an experienced firefighter.

"I don't need to go through that course — put me on the fire today," he said. "I'm still in good shape, man."

With files from Philippe Morin