By Cheryl Jahn

ESS closing up for another wildfire season

Sep 25, 2024 | 3:11 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Emergency Support Services site set up behind the Kin Centres earlier this year is slowly disappearing, as the wildfire season winds down. And what a year it was.

“This year, we hosted just over 375 evacuees from as far as Peace River, but also from Wells and Barkerville,” explains Tayna Spooner, Manager of Emergency Programs. “And we were prepared for additional evacuations from the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and even the Regional District of Frazer Fort George. We actually set up and set down again really quickly for Valemount when they had their sudden fire that was so quickly put out this season.”

The reception Centre year served as a pilot for establishing a more permanent centre

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“What we did this year is part of proving that we do actually need a permanent facility in Prince George. It’s really advocated with the Province that we should be set up early and be able to stay set up through the season. Last year was a banner season where we were up and down and moving around many, many times and we really wanted to avoid that.”

In 2017, with the wildfires in the Cariboo, the parking lot behind the College of New Caledonia was full of campers and tents, as Prince George played host to 10,000 evacuees. It was the first true test of Prince George’s emergency response.

“We had two additional municipalities folded into Prince George and people from as far away as 100 Mile House and Williams Lake coming here and the city responded,” says Councillor Garth Frizzell, Chair of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, which has pushed the idea of a permanent ESS Centre.

Since 2017, Prince George has activated reception centres every year, with the exception of the COVID year that was 2020. The City’s proposal for a permanent reception centre has been endorsed by the North Central Local Government Association.

“Prince George is the regional center,” says Frizzell. “So what we want to do is make a permanent location like we see in other cities like Kamloops. Now, in order to do that, we’ve got to raise awareness of this at the provincial level.”

Last year, the reception centre in Prince George moved to different locations eight times in one fire season. It was hectic.

“One of the things that we actually really notice is evacuees that have sort of been to Prince George in previous events expect our reception center to be at the CN Center or Exhibition Park,” says Spooner. “And when we move, even if it’s just on the side, it creates a little bit of confusion and additional stress for them and for our staff.”