If you are currently seeking help during a disaster or need to report a disaster that has already occurred or is still developing, contact us immediately on 916-939-9474.
OR for after hours, weekends or holidays please call
916-939-9468.
If you are not faced with an urgent situation also email us at [email protected]
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 4288
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
P: (916) 939-9474
F: (916) 939-9479
E: [email protected]
Lillooet Area Fires
Responding: 27
David Dahl
Jennifer Gore
Sharon Betker
Heather Ferguson
Pam Lagault
Bonnie Beyea
Tamara Bissett
Fran Cameron
Kathleen Davis
June Gravitte
Laurel Scott
Jackie Ward
Chris Dank
Bev Ingels
Mary Trim
Sherri Hall
Caitlin Hall
Sheri Walmsley
Hours Logged: 1,770
Animals Cared for: 266
Saturday August 15, 2009
All animals will be returned home today, and the shelter closed. Volunteers currently in Lillooet will be demobilizing and returning to their homes today as well.
Thursday August 13, 2009
Demobilization is underway in Lillooet, with most of the animals remaining in the shelter scheduled for pick up by the end of the week. Things are winding down after almost two hectic weeks, a few volunteers remain to close the operation and catch up on the paperwork. Donated food will be provided for animals in the Shallath/Seton-Portage area starting today.
Monday August 9, 2009 2:00pm
Operations at the shelter in Lillooet are winding down as more animals are returned to their families and more evacuation orders are lifted and people return home. The shelter in Ashcroft was closed on Friday and the operation in Lillooet is becoming one of closing, cleanup and completing the paperwork. As it is now understood, the Lillooet shelter will be closed by the weekend, if fire and weather conditions cooperate. Thanks to everyone that made this response such as success!
Saturday August 8, 2009 6:00pm
The reclaim process is underway in Lillooet, things have been progressing smoothly, with local residents picking up their animals throughout the day. Tomorrow calls for livestock to be returned, it is anticipated that this operation will go just as well. The shelter will remain open into next week to care for those animals received from people in some of the outlying areas that are still under evacuation orders.
Friday August 7, 2009 3:30pm
Latest on the fire in British Columbia, as of this morning forestry is saying the fire is 40% contained and that most evacuation orders have been lifted. However, there are areas close to Lillooet that are still in imminent danger and residents are not being allowed back in at this time.
At the shelter, animals are being transported from Ashcroft back to Lillooet today. Tomorrow at 8:00am residents of Lillooet will reclaim their animals, on Sunday livestock will available for pick up. All volunteers are gearing up for a busy Saturday. The shelter will remain open after Sunday for those animals being cared from the outlying areas.
Thursday August 6, 2009 2:30pm
Higher humidity associated with lower temperatures overnight contributed to quieter fire behavior this morning. An infrared scan was conducted and the Mount McLean wildfire has been accurately mapped at 3802 hectares in size. Burn off activity on the west flank will resume when conditions are favorable.
As of noon today, the evacuation order for Lillooet proper was lifted and residents allowed to return home. The plan is to move the shelter from Ashcroft to Lillooet during the day on Friday. On Saturday, residents will be allowed to reclaim their animals in Lillooet. By the end of Friday, the shelter in Ashcroft will be closed and volunteers will move to the shelter in Lillooet.
pictures courtesy of The Province News
Wednesday August 5, 2009 2:00pm
The latest information available from the BC Forestry is that the burn off was successful yesterday. There is almost no fuel left between the hillside and the town, good news. However, the fire is still shown as 0 percent contained and all evacuation orders are still in affect.
Pam Legault, Princeton BC just returned home from a number of days at the shelter in Ashton and here is what she has to say about her experience:
I just got home last night (have to work to pay for volunteering). We had 43 dogs (8 of whom are 4 week old absolutely adorable Pit/Husky/Shepherd pups with the most wonderful "Poster Child" Pit mom), 83 cats and assorted birds, bunnies. All that we had were brought in by their owners or neighbors caring for them while folks were on vacation.
The people in Ashcroft where we evacuated to were/are more than wonderful!! We arrived at 1:30 a.m. with 3 haulers full of animals and 9 of us in cars, all filled to the brim and carrying nursing Mamas. I never heard a peep from either my Pit mama or the cat and her kittens. Around 8:30 a.m., the neighbors came to see what all the noise had been about and immediately started calling in volunteers to get the arena cooled down as much as possible, and to get anything we wanted; raided their thrift shop for more food/water dishes, blankets, sheets, towels, got us ice and coffee/tea/juice, muffins. When they heard we had all been up more than 24 hrs, they offered cool beds and showers, sandwiches and salads, as well as responsible dog walkers.
The dogs loved being able to be out for more than a few minutes for walks! Someone even brought a 9x9x9 pen to set up inside the arena so dogs could stretch a bit and have a wading pool! A "nearby" Kennel Club donated several ex-pens/ crates/blankets/quilts/dog bowls and water pails and we were able to put several cats and their kittens in the ex-pens (covered obviously) so Mamas could get away from their babies somewhat and the kittens could blow off some steam.
Tuesday August 4, 2009 5:00pm
The fire continues to rage out of control in the mountains around Lillooet, BC, the latest information is that the fire is still at zero percent containment and no evacuation orders have been lifted at this time. The situation at the shelter is stabilizing and falling into a routine. Volunteers are being scheduled to rotate in to relieve those that have to leave and things are settling in for the long haul.
Monday August 3, 2009 3:00pm
The shelter in Lillooet was relocated to Ashcroft late last night due to evacuation orders, which have virtually shutdown the town of Lillooet. Those orders remain in affect through today, with only search and rescue groups allowed into safe areas to pickup animals that were unable to be evacuated yesterday. Animals collected by search and rescue are being held in Lillooet with possible transfer to Ashcroft as their numbers increase.
Weather conditions remain essentially the same as the past week, with winds blowing down slope this afternoon leaving the fire at zero percent containment. Fresh volunteers are being deployed as they become available and delivery of additional supplies is expected soon.
Sunday August 2, 2009 8:00pm
Evacuation orders for Lillooet have just been ordered. The shelter there is being relocated to Ashcroft. Volunteers are busy arranging for transportation and packing up for the move; they anticipate this will take most of the night to accomplish. Additional volunteers are being mobilized to provide much needed relief to those undertaking the move this evening and will arrive in Ashcroft, the new shelter location tomorrow.
Sunday August 2, 2009 2:00pm
The count at the shelter in Lillooet has continued to grow since yesterday, they are now close to 100 animals being cared for as residents prepare to evacuate when and if the order comes.
Fire burning near the outskirts of Lillooet, British Columbia
Saturday August 1, 2009 4:00pm
Winds have driven the fire to within 1km of Lillooet and residents have been advised that evacuation orders could be issued at any time, and if the order comes they will be given only 60 seconds to leave their homes. After issuing such a dire warning, more residents are seeking out the shelter Noah's Wish established yesterday and intake as been busy keeping up with the onslaught. Additional volunteers are being deployed today and others are being kept on alert, pending mobilization. The situation is extremely volatile and subject to change at a moments notice. Updates will be posted throughout the weekend.
Noah's Wish is currently monitoring the following incidents:
The assessment done earlier today has resulted in a deployment of resources to help care for animals displaced by the fires burning in British Columbia.
The latest word from the fire-front in Lillooet, British Columbia is that yesterday fire crews were able to “burn-off” along the west flank of the fire, hopefully keeping it from spreading into the more populated areas. This afternoon a series of thunderstorms, with their potential for blustery winds, will tell the tale of whether the fire lines hold or if more people will be forced from their homes.
Right now Donna Wackerbauer, Noah's Wish Coordinator Canada, and two volunteers are onsite. They have met with local Emergency Management personnel and have been assigned an air conditioned building in which to setup an emergency shelter for dogs and cats. Livestock and horses will be housed at a different location. The shelter is ready and waiting for occupants. This incident has officially moved from “assessment” to “deployment” at this time. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Thursday - July 30, 2009
Regional Coordinator, Donna Wackerbauer and a small contingent of Noah's Wish volunteers are on their way to the Lillooet area to assist local response personnel assess the needs of animals being evacuated. The team is expected to arrive this afternoon. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Wednesday - July 29, 2009 3:00pm
Noah's Wish continues to monitor fires in the Shalalth/Seton and Lillooet areas. Additional evacuation orders have been issued for residents of the area. Volunteers remain on alert. The situation in the area is rapidly changing, therefore an onsite assessment will be conducted tomorrow. Pending results of that assessment volunteers may be asked to deploy to the area. More details will be provided as they become available.
Tuesday - July 28, 2009 10am
Noah's Wish has just received an update from emergency services group in British Columbia and have placed volunteers back on alert due to a fire in the Lillooet area (Lillooet is about an hour and a half from Kamloops. Emails requesting availability have been sent to all Canadian volunteers.
Tuesday - July 28,2009
The alert that has been in place over the past few days is being cancelled this morning. While there are still 16 fires burning in British Columbia, at this time none appear to require evacuations. The situation remains extremely volatile and changes in weather conditions could cause flare-ups and other problems for the already hard hit area. Any changes in status will be posted to this page.
Friday - July 24, 2009
The volunteer alert for the British Columbia fire complex continues. Yesterday volunteers in the British Columbia area were placed on alert due to flare-ups in previously contained fires. That alert continues through today due to volatile weather conditions in the area and the inability to predict the fires behavior given the ever-changing weather. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as frequently as possible.
Thursday - July 23, 2009
Noah's Wish is has been advised that there has been a flare-up of the West Kelowna fire forcing 2,500 residents to once again evacuate. Volunteers are being placed on alert.
In addition, the Terrace Mountain fire has reached a populated area and evacuation orders