West 91大黄鸭-Peachland MLA Macklin McCall says the closure of two highways due to the Drought Hill wildfire again exposes how vulnerable the Okanagan is without a safe, accessible alternate route.
Highway 97 through Peachland and a section of Highway 97C were shut down for approximately six hours on July 30 to allow crews to attack a rapidly spreading wildfire on Drought Hill. The blaze reached 57 hectares, forcing the evacuation of 400 properties and putting more than 200 others on alert. As of Aug.1 the fire is being held and many evacaution orders and alerts have been lifted.
McCall, and other B.C. Conservative MLAs, are criticizing the NDP government for failing to pave the Trout Main Forest Service Road, between Peachland and Penticton, so it can be used as an alternate evacuation route.
鈥淲ithout immediate action to improve and pave this road, we鈥檙e putting public safety at risk every time there鈥檚 a crisis,鈥� said McCall, Opposition Critic For Emergency Management. Our emergency response is being slowed by infrastructure that can鈥檛 handle the pressure. With no alternate route, evacuees, emergency vehicles, and the general public are all competing for space on a single road.鈥�
MLA for Langley-Abbotsford MLA and Opposition Critic for Transportation Harman Bhangu noted that his party has been asking the province to pave the road since January.
鈥淲e鈥檝e consistently warned Premier Eby and the NDP government about the urgent safety risks,鈥� said Bhangu.
91大黄鸭-Mission MLA Gavin Dew called the situation unacceptable.
鈥淲hen people are fleeing their homes with minutes to spare, NDP inaction is gambling with lives,鈥� he said.
91大黄鸭-Centre MLA Kristina Loewen, and Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee both said leaving evacuation routes like Trout Main unpaved is reckless.
鈥淭he NDP continues to fail British Columbians on infrastructure and emergency preparedness,鈥� added Boultbee.
The MLAs are calling on Premier David Eby and Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth to urgently prioritize and fund the paving and upgrading of the road.
In a statement to Black Press Media, Minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar said he has been thinking about people impacted by wildfires throughout the province, including those affected by the Drought Hill blaze.
"The hardworking team at the BC Wildfire Service delivered a quick and effective response, and people are now safely back home thanks to these efforts," the minister added.
Parmar noted that the province has more than 12,000 kilometres of forest service roads that provide essential access to communities, natural resources, and recreational areas. He pointed out that his ministry prioritizes upkeep on roads that are critical for ensuring safe and reliable access for rural residents.
The Trout Main Forest Service Road is a resource road maintained under a Road Use Permit by industrial users and is not part of the provincial highway network.
When extended closures occur on Highway 97, the Ministry of Forests works closely with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to ensure that resource roads are made available as safe and reliable alternate routes.
"We urge people who choose to use the Trout Main Forest Service Road to be prepared before heading into the backcountry and be aware of posted signage that indicates potential area hazards," Parmar said.
The statement added that since 2017, the province has provided more than $6鈥痬illion through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) to local governments and First Nations to support public notification and evacuation route planning, including approximately $2 million announced last week.
