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Mayor confident fire under control

Spall wildfire
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Spallumcheen’s mayor is convinced a wildfire is under control.

Crews have been battling the blaze near Hutley Road since Thursday afternoon.

“The fire chief says they have a good fire guard up,” said Mayor Janice Brown at 7 p.m.

“It’s smoldering and the chief is confident we’re good.”

However, Brown says an evacuation alert will remain in place overnight and be reassessed Friday morning.

An evacuation alert was issued for the following areas:

Twin Firs Mobile Home Park

Eagle Rock Mobile Home Park

Belva’s Mobile Home Park

Meadow Ridge Mobile Home Park

McLennan Road

Keddleston Road

“They have told all of us here in the parks that we are on alert, but next knock on the door means we have to get out of here,” said Chelaine McInroy, a resident of Belva’s Mobile Home Park. “I’m pretty stressed. I only bought this place a month ago. I mean, it made it a little easier to pack up because everything was still in boxes, but it’s obviously very stressful. This is our home.”

Robbie MacReady, a longtime resident of Belva’s, is nervous about the alert.

“I’ve lived here for 31 years, loved the park, but when it comes that the fire is close to home, I’m kind of nervous,” MacReady said.

Along with the Armstrong-Spallumcheen Fire Department, the response has included BX-Swan Lake and Coldstream firefighters as well as the B.C. Wildfire Service.

“We’re grateful and thankful for everyone being there ASAP,” said Brown, who also has praise for township staff who established an emergency operations centre.