Tallying up the losses

Photo: The Canadian Press

Cots are set up for evacuees at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops.

Officials are beginning the difficult process of notifying those who have lost homes in the out-of-control wildfires that have prompted a provincial state of emergency.

Cariboo Regional District chairman Al Richmond said Monday that teams have gained access to areas where houses and other buildings have been destroyed northwest of 100 Mile House.

"We can start to phone the residents who have had losses," he said.

Crews are also working to restore electricity, telephone service and other infrastructure in regions evacuated after the fires broke out July 6.

"Our staff is actively engaging in the south Cariboo to look at re-entry plans for our residents, should they be able to return home," Richmond said, although he cautioned return could be "a ways off."

At least 40,000 people have been forced from their homes by more than 160 wildfires in central and southern B.C., while 17,000 others are on evacuation alert.

A wind-fuelled flare-up of a fire near Williams Lake Saturday forced the evacuation of that city, but Richmond said crews had managed to keep the flames in check about five kilometres northwest of the community.

He said a sawmill is in the path of the 80-square kilometre blaze should it advance, as is the Williams Lake emergency operation centre, but there had been no calls for further evacuations.

Wind on Friday also caused a flare-up of a huge fire that started near the Ashcroft Indian Band reserve. That fire has charred more than 400-square kilometres west of Kamloops and destroyed nearly three dozen homes in Boston Flats near Ashcroft.