Stay or flee: the decisions First Nations people are making in the face of B.C. wildfires
'I never ever thought that I would be disobeying an order'
Sheri Lysons never thought she would disobey an evacuation order, but she's still at her home on Adams Lake Indian Band lands in the B.C. Interior.
She watches the lakes, looking to see signs the nearby Bush Creek East wildfire is coming closer.
"I know the implications of [not evacuating]," said Lysons, a former fire chief of the Adams Lake Indian Band.
"But we couldn't leave; I couldn't leave my home."
Lysons has more than 20 years experience as a volunteer firefighter, and her partner has more than 30 years experience in wildland firefighting.
Though Lysons and her partner know the risks of staying to defend their home, Lysons wasn't taking any chances with her daughter, moving her to Salmon Arm, B.C., even before the evacuation order came down.
"We wouldn't have put … any of our kids in jeopardy, and honestly, I never ever thought that I would be disobeying an order," said Lysons.
First Nations displaced across B.C.
According to Indigenous Services Canada, nine First Nations in B.C. are under evacuation orders due to wildfires.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District confirmed Tuesday that the Bush Creek East blaze has forced 11,000 people to flee under evacuation orders, while more than 27,000 people remain out of their homes across B.C. due to wildfires.
Lysons said it is hard to sleep at night, as they get up periodically to check if the blaze is coming closer. Lysons said they have their own wildland firefighting equipment they will put in the lake to protect their home if it comes down to it.
"We're going to fight as long as we can and then if we can't, then we'll leave," said Lysons.
Lysons said community firefighters who have also stayed behind are doing everything they can.
"They're working nonstop," said Lysons.
Lysons isn't the only person in her community to stay behind.
"We know if the house ever burned down, we're never going to get a new house," said Ronie Jules, an elder.
In 2003, a blaze threatened the community and Jules stayed to protect his home with sprinklers.
"If we didn't do that, we wouldn't have the house to come to, so that's why we stayed again," said Jules.
Jules's wife has also stayed behind. He said she is catching up on crafts as they wait to see if the blaze will reach the community.
B.C. premier warns against staying back
B.C. Premier David Eby said Wednesday morning that he has a "huge amount of empathy" for people with fire experience wanting to stay back and defend their homes but that the lakes need to be clear of activity so water bomber planes can fill up.
"The wildfire service recognizes the abilities of people in the community and they have been trying to reach out to get everybody working together," said Eby.
"But we can't have people doing runs across the lake to support people who are defying evacuation orders."
At Jules' house, sprinklers are set up around the property, which he describes as a rural part of Adams Lake Indian Band, surrounded by green alfalfa fields. Jules said those fields won't burn and if it comes to it, he and his wife will go stand in the middle of it.
Fire rips through Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw
Jules's sister lost her home in the neighbouring community of Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw last week.
The blaze ripped through the First Nation, sending residents fleeing to neighbouring communities like Kamloops, about 56 kilometres away.
Barney Tomma, 63, lost his home.
"Devastating, I'm too old to start over again," said Tomma.
He has lived in Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw his whole life and for 40 years he has been collecting comic books, compiling a collection of 34,000.
"That was my retirement fund, gone," said Tomma.
Coming home from work Friday afternoon at the golf course, he got a call to pack a bag and get out. He packed some medications and a bar of soap and fled.
"For the life of me I don't know why, but one bar of soap I put it in my bag… and I just left," said Tomma.
Safe at the Rayleigh evacuation camp, Tomma got a phone call from one of his older brothers, saying he and Tomma's two other brothers were trapped under the Skwlax bridge surrounded by flames.
Choking up as he recounts the story, Tomma said it's the most scared he's ever been.
His three brothers, one of them Chief James Tomma, were rescued by the Adams Lake fisheries department.
"As long as the family is fine, homes we can rebuild," said Tomma.
"We can start making new memories."
Tomma said he is thankful for the support at the Rayleigh camp, run by Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc, the City of Kamloops and Northern Trailers.
"We have a roof over our heads, meals, you can't ask for anything more at this time," said Tomma.
Space at evacuation camp
Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir, of Tkʼemlúps te Secwépemc, said 55 beds are being used at the camp that can house 300 people.
She said the powwow arbour is also being used for evacuees who have campers, and pets are also welcome.
"So many of our people are very compassionate and willing to extend that hand of friendship and that we are here," said Casimir.
Casimir said at this time they are not looking for donations or volunteers to help with the camp.
"We truly appreciate our membership who have also reached out," said Casimir.
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