The Town of Creston works with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) as part of a regional emergency management program. In the event of an evacuation alert/order information will be coordinated through the RDCK and local emergency officials.
The Town of Creston and the RDCK would like to remind residents and visitors that even though there are no wildfires directly affecting the Town of Creston or surrounding areas, they should be prepared in case conditions change.
“Creston Fire Rescue is in regular contact with the RDCK Emergency Operations Centre and other agencies, and we are prepared to respond if any wildfires start to threaten our communities,” said Jared Riel, Acting Fire Chief with Creston Fire Rescue. “We are actively planning for what to do if things change. That includes planning how to handle potential evacuations—not only for our own communities but also for communities in worse shape near us, like Kimberley.”
The closest wildfire is at Blazed Creek, approximately 2 kilometres north of Highway 3 and 20 kilometres west of Creston. The fire is an estimated 6,051 hectares but is not currently threatening communities. The fire has been causing intermittent delays and closures of Highway 3 and Kootenay Pass. Visit www.DriveBC.ca for current conditions.
“We are monitoring wildfire activity across the RDCK and responding as needed to help keep people safe and informed,” said Sangita Sudan, RDCK EOC Director. “Residents in the area are encouraged to keep an eye on the RDCK website, Facebook or Twitter pages for updates. You can also sign up for the RDCK Emergency Notification System, which is used to share critical information that requires action, like evacuation or sheltering in place.”
You can sign up to receive notifications relevant to your location by text, email or landline. To sign up, go to www.rdck.ca and select “Emergency Alerts” from the home page, or go to the notification system sign-up page at https://rdckemergency.connectrocket.com.
“The best thing that people can do right now is stay informed and be prepared,” said Acting Chief Riel. “That includes signing up for notifications, creating a household emergency plan, preparing a grab-and-go kit, and planning for care for pets and livestock.”