A British Columbia woman says she had “no notice” before a raging wildfire forced her to pack up 20 horses and four dogs and leave her home in 108 Mile Ranch, B.C.
Laura Meechan says she looked up from her patio on Friday and saw smoke “billowing right at us.” She says the wildfire looked like it was only a couple kilometres from her house, so she decided it was time to go.
Meechan says she had seen smoke the previous day and had heard about a wildfire on Facebook, but no official visited her to inform her to leave her home.
“This is just unbelievable,” she told CTV News Channel, as she headed south toward 100 Mile House. “No notice. Nobody warned anybody of anything.”
Meechan says she managed to round up most of her 20 horses but one “wouldn’t go in the trailer” so she is having a friend ride the horse to safety.
“We’ve right now got the four dogs in the car and heading down the highway,” she said. “Total smoke,” she added. “The flames are now coming over the hill.”
Meechan said she plans to keep her horses at the rodeo grounds in 100 Mile House but could be stuck in her truck with four dogs during a heatwave.
“I’m panicked, I’m scared,” Meechan said.
“I don’t know if we’ll lose our house," she added.
Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation order shortly after noon local time for the area around 108 Mile Ranch. 105 Mile Community, and the west shore of Lac La Hache.
