The Town of Golden’s Emergency Operations Centre remains open and active more than a week following the start of the Dogtooth FSR wildfire on July 22, 2024.
Wednesday, July 24, saw rapidly changing conditions and fire behaviour, leading to evacuation orders for 107 properties near Parson and alerts for a large area south of Golden. Twenty properties currently remain on evacuation order in the Parson area, while 1,052 remain on alert south of Champagne Rd. Fifteen structures, including four homes, were lost as a result of the fire on Wednesday, July 24. To view all official information updates and alerts visit www.golden.ca/news.
“My deepest sympathies go out to those who have experienced the loss of their homes south of town. Our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of residents of Golden and Area A. The Incident Management Team and wildfire fighters dispatched by the BC Wildfire Service, along with local responders and equipment on the ground, are working tirelessly to protect Parson and the surrounding areas and communities, and ultimately the town of Golden,” said Mayor Oszust. “Our team in the EOC continues to work closely with the Incident Management Team to provide support, resources, and public information, and to coordinate support for evacuees through our amazing Emergency Support Services volunteers.”
BC Wildfire has since assigned an Incident Management Team (IMT) to the South Rockies Complex. The South Rockies Complex includes the Dogtooth (N21427) wildfire south of Golden, as well as the Ravenshead (N21610) wildfire located 20km east of Invermere, and the Mount Morro (N21014) wildfire in Top of the World Provincial Park. Currently, over 100 wildfire personnel have been assigned to the Dogtooth incident, with support from over 10 helicopters and 20 pieces of equipment.
“To echo Mayor Oszust, the safety of our community is paramount. The resources from our local Emergency Operations Centre to all of our local emergency personnel, Golden Search and Rescue, the Nicholson Fire Department, Golden Fire and Rescue, Golden Fire Jumpers, RCMP, Emergency Support Services and all our community volunteers coordinating together has been exemplary,” said Electoral Area “A” Director, Karen Cathcart. “I am extremely grateful to our Golden and Area A community residents and business owners for stepping up to the plate to support those who need assistance as we make our way through this wildfire situation. We are a resilient and caring community and as we all say: It’s the Golden Way!”
Warmer and drier temperatures are expected over the long weekend, with the potential for thunderstorms. The warmer, sunnier weather is anticipated to bring temperatures near 30C with lower relative humidity. These conditions are expected to increase fire activity. Smoke and increased fire activity may be visible from Highway 95. For up-to-date operational information on the Dogtooth wildfire (N21427) please visit: wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca
Over the long weekend, residents are reminded that a campfire ban is in place throughout the province and to watch for bucketing helicopters on the Columbia River and surrounding areas. An area restriction remains in place for the Parson area, view the information bulletin: https://blog.gov.bc.ca/bcwildfire/updated-area-restriction-in-effect-for-the-dogtooth-fsr-area/
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District and Town of Golden remind residents that wildfires are dynamic and can change rapidly, be prepared and stay tuned to official local news sources. Official news sources include:
- The Town of Golden website at golden.ca
- Town of Golden social media channels @townofgolden on Facebook and Instagram.
- The Alertable system. Sign up at www.csrd.bc.ca/alertable to receive emergency alerts on your smartphone through the app, or by text, email or landline. In your location settings, make sure to set your locations for Columbia Shuswap Electoral Area A as well as the Town of Golden. If you need support setting up Alertable, volunteers at the Reception Centre at the Golden Senior Centre can help.
- The CSRD Emergency Information Dashboard for detailed maps of Evacuation Order and Alert areas: https://bit.ly/3zRjzoR
- For information regarding wildfires and wildfire operations, visit www.bcwildfire.ca or download the BC Wildfire Service app. For specific questions regarding BC Wildfire operations, contact the BC Wildfire public information line at 1-888-336-7378.
- Highway 95 is open at this time. Conditions can change rapidly, check www.drivebc.ca before you travel.
About the Golden and Area Emergency Management Program:
The Town of Golden is contracted by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District to administer the emergency program for Golden and Electoral Area A under the Golden and Area Emergency Management Program (GAEMP) Agreement. The GAEMP provides emergency planning, response, mitigation, preparedness and recovery for the geographical area which encompasses the Town of Golden and Area A.