Revelstoke rallies to support Golden and Jasper evacuees

Evacuation alerts and wildfire risks from the B.C. Interior to the Alberta border pushed Revelstoke to rally together and support evacuees and displaced folks the weekend of July 25. From house sharing groups created that day to residents pooling donated items together to a team on the highway offering food for evacuees looking for a point of respite, Revelstoke worked to make those RevelStuck a little more comfortable.

Evacuees find boarding in town

Sally Sharif, lecturer in political science at the University of British Columbia, left Golden when evacuation alerts for the area were activated and smoke levels began to cause health issues. She spent the night sleeping in her car at the Save-On-Foods parking lot before posting in Revelstoke’s community page and fire evacuation home share page looking for a place to work for the day.

“Within an hour of my post, I was sitting in someone’s home office and working with their cat watching over me,” Sharif said. She attempted to work at the Revelstoke library, but daily activities and an influx of folks seeking evacuee resources made the space less-than-ideal for a book proposal and writing.

“The library is wonderful, but my work requires the kind of concentration that I cannot get in a public library, even with my high-end noise-cancelling headphones.”

At the Evacuee Reception Centre at the Revelstoke Community Centre Sharif was advised to either return to Golden once evacuation alerts were lifted or take advantage of the free camping at Centennial Park for evacuees and access the library for work space. It seemed to run counter to the overall support from the town, Sharif mentioned. Revelstoke’s outpouring of donated goods was heartwarming to say the least, but Sharif herself held back from accessing any of it.

“I wanted those resources to go to people who really needed them: families whose houses were burned and were left with nothing. I mainly needed a place to work and sleep.”

Still, Sharif left Revelstoke and returned back to Golden feeling more than supported by town residents stepping up to the plate. Especially the family that took her into their home and provided a bed, office space and even some recommendations for activities around town to help provide a bit of relief from the anxiety of the situation.

“They did not just provide me with a place to sleep but gave me a home, in which I could concentrate on my work and continue my physical activities.”

The highway hotdog stand

Local barber and Deb’s Barbershop owner Debbie Bye set up at the highway rest area alongside the Trans-Canada Highway with a table, a charcoal grill, chips and condiments and a cooler filled with pre-boiled hotdogs. A sign taped to the table welcomed all evacuees to stop for a bite and a moment of respite. Any vehicle stopping was met with Bye quickly offering a warm hot dog and directions to resources in town.

“I can’t offer my home to people, but this I can do, anything any of us can do to help,” Bye shared.

While Bye might have been the main person leading the little food venue along the highway, she was quick to thank other community members pitching in to help. Residents and travellers alike brought donations to cover the cost of food and some even offered to help run either the table or the shop so Bye’s business didn’t remain closed for too long as she focused on providing aid.

“We have to work together during this. It’s not the last time this will happen, possibly not the last time this summer.”

City resources activated

With the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operating and the City of Revelstoke communicating with other municipalities throughout the affected regions, plans were shared through Revelstoke’s social channels, the Emergency Management page and Alertable. That included allowing evacuees space to camp at the Centennial Park after registering with community centre staff. Revelstoke recorded 13 individuals accessing that  resource, and Steven De Rousie, Revelstoke fire chief and acting director for Revelstoke and Area EOC said it worked exactly as intended for those that did need it.

Not everyone who sheltered at the Centennial Park registered with staff, so exact numbers aren’t known. Still, it was a chance to see how lines of communication reached intended audiences and other ways the EOC could get word out in future events.

“We had folks from Jasper [and] Golden actually coming into Town Hall looking for information,” Francesca Williams, City of Revelstoke communications coordinator and EOC information officer told Revelstoke Mountaineer. “I created a handout where they could access all of our emergency management resources.”

Both De Rousie and Williams emphasized checking in on City of Revelstoke social channels, the Emergency Management page and Alertable for up to date information about evacuation alerts and orders in the region, resources in town and provincial updates. They both noted however, no matter the amount of resources provided by the city and the province in future emergencies, Revelstoke residents will step in to help.

“It’s part of the small town, everyone-knows-everyone kind of vibe. Even if you don’t know the person, you’re still going to help them,” De Rousie said.

“It’s this spirit of Revelstoke I became aware of soon after coming here my first time,” Williams added. “I’ve seen that in action during this, with city staff and with the community just jumping right in.”