'We're surrounded by fire': B.C. woman plots her next move as wildfires encroach

story transcript

A B.C. woman who fled her home with four dogs and 22 horses says she has nowhere else to run.

"We're surrounded by fire," Laura Meechantold As It Happens guest host Laura Lynch on Monday.

More than 10,000 people have been forced from their homes in Interior B.C. as of Monday morning, with firefighters using all resources to contain the 220 active wildfires burning across the province.

The province has declared a state of emergencyandreinforcements from across the province and country are expected to arrive today to help, but shifting weather especially wind could worsen the situation.

• Follow CBCNews.ca for the latest updates on the B.C. fires

Meechan'sjourney started on Friday at her home in 108Mile Ranch. She'd heard that a wildfire was headed her way, but she woke up toclear blue skies and figured she was safe.

"Within two hours, the wind picked up and the smoke just came flying at us," she said.

"There was nobody came to our door. We had no warning. No alert," she said."We just had to take it upon ourselves to get the horses out."

CaribooRegional District did, in fact, issue an evacuation order shortlyafter noon local time for the area around 108 Mile Ranch. But Meechan says that, according to security footage from her home, police didn't make the rounds in the community until after 5:30 p.m.

"It was too late by then. It was all around us," she said.

Meechan'shusband was in Yellowknife at the time, so she and her girlfriends rounded up the horses on the community ranch and started making their way along the highway to 100 Mile House.

Two of the horses wouldn't load, so her friend had to ride one of them and pull the other for the entire 12-kilometre trek.

"It was unbelievable. Unbelievable," she said.

But the journey didn't end there. On Sunday evening, 100 Mile House was put under evacuation orderas winds picked up and fanned the flames of the many wildfires.Some2,000 people there were forced to flee.

Meechan, who had by then re-united with her husband, packed up her dogs and hit the road again this time to a friend's cabin in Sheridan, B.C.

The horses were sent to LacLa Hache andthen to Forest Grove, which is now also under an evacuation alert.

Meechan and her husband, meanwhile, arewaitingand dreading what might happen next.

"Right now, it's very smokey. There's no wind here. We're getting ashes all over the cabin and the cars here right now," she said. "It's just a ball of fire around us."

Cariboo Regional District told As It Happens that Sheridan is not currently under evacuation order and people can leave the town via Highway 24. Updates are posted regularly to the region's website and Facebook page.

In the meantime, she's struggling to access up-to-date information about the wildfiresand is relying mostly on rumours and hearsay.

Shehas no TV at the cabin and she can can only pick up a radio signal in her truck. She's heard from a friend that her home is still standing.

Even if there is another evacuation orderand the roads open up, she hasno idea where she'll go next. Hotels in unaffected areas like Kamloopsarebooking up fast with other evacuees, she said. Not to mention, they have four dogs in tow.

"Nobody has room for us anywhere," she said. "We'd like to get out. We don't know where to go. There's nowhere to go."

The Cariboo Regional District is encouraging all evacuees to register in Williams Lake or Prince George, where emergency beds have been set up for those displaced by the fires.

With files from CBC News

For evacuation alerts and orders, visitEmergency Info BC.

For road closures and conditions, visitDriveBC.

For wildfires of note, visit theB.C. Wildfire Service.

For air quality advisories, check withEnvironment Canada.