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Three Chilliwack officers helping with Interior wildfire disaster response

RCMP working closely with the BC Wildfire Service and first responders in the Interior
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Three Chilliwack RCMP officers are assisting with the emergency response in parts of the Interior being ravaged by wildfire.

The three local officers are members of the regional tactical troop, now seconded to provide support to RCMP resources from across B.C. in both the Southeast and North Districts of the province where the fires still burn.

Members of the Lower Mainland District Integrated Tactical Troop can be called upon to “establish public order in efforts like crowd control, emergency disaster response, scene security and more,” according to BC RCMP online info.

“The team assists other units in the Lower Mainland and has been involved in major operations within the province and throughout Canada, when necessary,” according to RCMP.

They were at the Okanagan Mountain Park fire of 2003 and the G8/G20 Summit of 2010 in Toronto.

Police resources are being called in from various parts of the Lower Mainland to help with Interior evacuations.

Job one for the Mounties will be to support emergency operations and ensure the safety of people and the communities.

RCMP have been working closely with the BC Wildfire Service and other first responders to determine resource needs. The RCMP also has plans and support in place to ensure police response to non-fire related calls are not impacted.

Provincial reps said they are also expecting about 250 additional firefighters to arrive.

So far, Chilliwack Fire Department has not been asked to assist in any direct way, confirmed Chilliwack Fire Chief Ian Josephson.

“If we are contacted, we will provide resources and assistance to our fellow firefighters and the interior communities,” he said.



Jennifer Feinberg

About the Author: Jennifer Feinberg

I have been a Chilliwack Progress reporter for 20+ years, covering the arts, city hall, as well as Indigenous, and climate change stories.
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