They’re calling themselves the ‘Waterboys,’ a handful of men who have chosen to protect homes in their North Shuswap communities of Celista, Lee Creek and Scotch Creek — all of which are under evacuation order due to British Columbia's Bush Creek East wildfire.
“We are highly mobile, we can go through wherever there is a fire or a report that we need to put something out, we go out and take care of it,” said Lyle Kullman, who fears their success in putting out spot fires may be short lived.
“When we are in Scotch Creek, we can’t get fuel. We have to go through road blocks, they won’t let you in without a permit.”
Roadblocks, increased police presence, and dwindling supplies of food and fuel for people like Kullman have community supporters taking to the water. A marina in Blind Bay quickly became a hub for drop offs and deliveries.
But a truck full of supplies was turned around by RCMP on Monday. It was a block Mark Taggart wasn’t expecting.
“We went through the proper channels, the Anglemont fire department, I talked to Greg Kyllo [area MLA] about it, I talked to CSRD about it, he talked to CSRD. Everybody knew what was happening, we got here in the morning, RCMP showed up at the gate and the truck was done," Taggart said.
RCMP Staff Sgt Kris Clark says the delivery was procured under “false pretences,” as the company believed it was to support residents within an area not subject to an evacuation order. However, the order was, in fact, destined for a location within the evacuation order.
Clark further stated, “the role of the RCMP is to prevent people from entering an area under evacuation order so that BC Wildfire Services crews can do their work unobstructed.”
Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo points out the men and women who chose to stay are “highly skilled” individuals.
“We’ve got loggers, people who have lived their lives for multiple generations in the woods, we have road builders, folks who have access to heavy equipment. Be it skidders, loaders, bull dozers, water tankers,” Kyllo said, adding many have been contracted to help with BC Wildfire Service in the past.
During a wildfire update from BC Wildfire Services and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Derek Sutherland, CSRD EOC director, said “community members can feel safe and secure that there are firefighters to deal with any issues that arise on their property if and when they choose to evacuate.”
BCWS said Tuesday said there is a minimum of 120 wildland firefighters and 105 structure protection firefighters working on the Bush Creek East wildfire, with additional resources incoming.
Both Taggart and Kullman said they would be happy to step aside and let the paid professionals take over, but first they want to see boots on the ground.
“People over there are tired. They just need help. If they want the locals to stop, they need to bring in the crews to replace them, and I’m sure that they would bow down on the highway in tears seeing those crews roll up," Taggert said.
