Additional fire support to stage in Merritt

The City of Merritt will be receiving additional fire resources after requesting preventative resources to prepare the community in case of a future evacuation order.

“Additional fire support will be arriving in Merritt. The City of Merritt wants to emphasize that this is purely a precautionary measure to put the City in the most defensible position possible, should we see a change in fire conditions. Residents can expect to see an influx of fire equipment & personnel throughout the city,” said Director of Corporate Services Greg Lowis.

“Fire personnel will be performing structural assessments to identify appropriate strategies for structure defense in the case of wildfires in our community. Residents can expect to see flagging tape on their properties; it is imperative that residents do not remove or tamper with any flagging or identification markers,” continued Lowis.

Due to the additional personnel staying at the Civic Centre in group lodging, the evacuation Muster Station location for people who have not been able to arrange transportation has been changed to The Nicola Valley Memorial Arena (2075 Mamette Avenue) in the parking lot along Garcia Street.

“Equipment and crews from Structure Protection Units will be staging from Merritt to have quicker access to the south end of the Lytton Creek Wildfire,” added Lowis.

Mayor Linda Brown said, “Merrittonians can be confident that the City is making necessary preparations to ensure Merritt is as well prepared as we can be. I’m asking everyone to remain calm, to allow the Fire Department to do their work, and to stay prepared as we remain on Evacuation Alert. While we are all grateful for the rain, cooler temperatures, and humidity, conditions can change and we will be ready. By now everyone should have a grab-bag packed, and if possible have made a plan with friends or family outside of Merritt in case we need to evacuate. We will keep residents informed of any new developments as they arise.”