The mayor of a British Columbia town expressed disappointment with the communication from the provincial wildfire service, calling it a “real lag” in their response to a recent wildfire.
Mayor John Smith of Smithville, BC, spoke out after a wildfire broke out near the town on Tuesday. The fire, which was believed to have been caused by lightning, quickly spread and prompted evacuation orders for nearby residents.
In an interview with CTV News, Mayor Smith stated that he was disappointed with the lack of communication from the BC Wildfire Service. He claimed that the town was not informed about the fire until it had already grown to a significant size.
“We were not given any warning or updates about the fire until it was already out of control,” Mayor Smith said. “This is a real lag in their communication and it put our town and residents at risk.”
The mayor also expressed concern about the resources being allocated to fight the fire. He stated that the town had requested additional support from the wildfire service, but had not received a response.
“We have been asking for more resources to help contain the fire, but we have not received any confirmation or assistance from the wildfire service,” Mayor Smith said.
In response to the mayor’s comments, the BC Wildfire Service released a statement saying that they were working closely with local authorities and were doing everything possible to contain the fire.
“We understand the concerns of the mayor and the residents of Smithville and we are doing everything in our power to contain the fire and protect the community,” the statement read.
As of now, the wildfire is still burning and has grown to over 100 hectares in size. Evacuation orders remain in place for nearby residents and the BC Wildfire Service continues to work on containing the fire.
The mayor of Smithville has urged the wildfire service to improve their communication and provide more resources to help fight the fire. He also expressed his gratitude to the firefighters and emergency personnel who are working tirelessly to protect the town and its residents.
