The Regional District of East Kootenay has issued an evacuation ALERT for the east side of Lake Koocanusa in the Grasmere area, as well as evacuation order for the west side of the lake.

“We are seeing ash and debris being cast a long distance on the head of the fire and the fire itself has experienced aggressive behaviour today, which has prompted us to take this step,” explained Information Officer Loree Duczek. “Our first priority is public safety. These decisions are not made lightly and everyone within the evacuation order area needs to leave immediately.  For those who are being put on alert, we are asking that they prepare themselves now and be ready in the event things worsen and they are asked to leave.”

The evacuation ORDER area is on the west side of Koocanusa in the Newgate area and includes:

• Newgate from Gold Bay south to the US border including Sunshine Houseboats, Sandy Shores and Madera Ranch Campgrounds

The evacuation ALERT area is on the east side of the lake between the Elk River Bridge crossing and US Border and includes:

• All property between the eastern shore of Lake Koocanusa and Highway 93 from the Elk River Bridge crossing south to the US Border.  This includes Roosville, Grasmere, the Tobacco Plains Indian Band and recreational properties in Edwards and Loon Lakes.

RCMP are hand delivering the notices in the affected areas, starting with the evacuation ORDER area on the west side of the Lake.

“Earlier this evening, we issued an alert for this same area and have now had to upgrade it to an ORDER.  The officers were still in the midst of distributing the alert notices and will now be retracing their steps with the ORDER notices,” explains Duczek.

Once the ORDER notifications are complete in the Newgate area, the team will begin the door to door notifications with the evacuation ALERTS on the east side of the lake.  “We want people to be aware that they are in the area in uniform delivering these notices and that it could be the wee hours of the morning by the time they are done, so they can expect a knock on their door,” says Duczek.

These are the latest in a series of orders and alerts the RDEK has issued in the past 24 hours.  In addition to the notifications related to the Linklater fire, the following are in effect:

• Evacuation ORDER for Moyie South.
• Evacuation ORDER for Moyie North including Mineral and Monroe Lakes.
• Evacuation ALERT in the Mission/Fort Steele area due to the St. Mary River Fire.

Aqam has an Evacuation ORDER on the Aqam Reserve for 36 residences.

An information line has been set up at 250-426-2188 or toll free 1-855-346-2188 and information is available on the RDEK’s website at:www.rdek.bc.ca

Lead image: The Mount Robinson/Linklater fire.

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