The Aftermath

In July of this year, 2023, a small fire was started by lightning.

We watched this fire grow and come at us. On the evening of August 17/23, after packing for a week, we decided it was time to go. The actual evacuation order came through the next day.

Many of our neighbors and friends stayed behind and risked their lives to save not only their homes but the homes of many others. My husband was one of those order defiers, and I am so ever thankful.

The fire ripped through the upper part of our community and took 10 homes.

It continued up the lake and decimated properties, many homes & and businesses from Lee Creek to Celista, jumped across at Squilax. Still today it is threatening the Magna Bay Anglemont communities. 172 properties in total were destroyed.

Myself and my dog in our trailer, my daughter in her van, and her 2 dogs camped out in 3 different places. The first 2 nights in the small village of Chase in an open field and on Saturday the 19th, our wedding anniversary, after seeing the water train come in and stop right there across the road we knew this may not be a safe place for much longer. Just across the river in Chase is the Little Shuswap Indian Band. They were evacuated mid-afternoon. We packed up and headed for the Tk‘emlúpsemc Pow Wow grounds(Kamloops).

The first week was full of tears, sadness, anger, and questions, but for me, reaching out to all of my community neighbors, gave me peace to hear from everyone. We were all in the same city but spread out, many came to visit, hang out, and talk and try to wrap our heads around what had just happened and start to grieve and heal.

Fast forward a month.

Clean-up is starting, funding is being applied for and the community comes together.

This life-changing event has forever affected me and so many others.

Never take for granted your surroundings, neighbors, friends, and family.

Never give up, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.