Cariboo Evacuation

July 17, 2017: Health care information for evacuees
July 11, 2017: SMOKY SKIES BULLETIN EXPANDED FOR Cariboo, Prince George and area, Bulkley Valley, and the Lakes District (eastern border only)
July 11, 2017: SMOKY SKIES BULLETIN ISSUED FOR Valemount and surrounding area
July 10, 2017: UPDATE - Northern Health facilities receiving Williams Lake evacuees
July 8, 2017: Northern Health supporting Cariboo region wildfire evacuations

• Those wishing to donate can support the BC Fires Appeal with the Canadian Red Cross.
• Residents wishing to provide accommodation for a person or family can do so via social media, including by posting on the City’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cityofpg.
• Apply to become a volunteer at the emergency evacuation centre. The Volunteer PG Centre is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday to Sunday, in Room 205 at the Prince George Conference & Civic Centre. Prospective volunteers can visit the Centre in-person, fill out a form on the City's website, or contact the Volunteer PG Centre at 250-614-7835.

• Family members can call the IH Patient Care Quality Office (PCQO) for information about relocations. The toll-free number is 1-877-442-2001.
• Interior Health (IH) has established a call line for families whose loved ones have been relocated from health facilities, due to wildfire activity in the Cariboo and Thompson-Nicola regions.
• Residential care and assisted living clients, and hospital patients, have been moved from facilities in Ashcroft, 100 Mile House and Williams Lake. 
• Acute care, residential care and assisted living clients evacuated from Williams Lake have been settled into a variety of care settings in Prince George, and Northern Health is also working with the City of Prince George and other community partners to support the health needs of evacuees in general.

From pets to livestock, the evacuation effort is more than just about people.  

PETS

College of New Caledonia reception centre:

ANIMALS AND LIVESTOCK

In Prince George, the Agriplex at the Exhibition Park is providing boarding space for animals and livestock. It is open 24 hours a day and provides facilities for a wide range of livestock, such as horses, goats, chickens, and pigs.

If you need to arrange livestock for pick-up, please contact Chelsea Wallach at 250-981-3499 to coordinate transport.

Billeting:
If you are looking for a billet to house or move animals affected by the wildfires, search for animal billeting resources in your area through this interactive map, provided by BC Animal Emergency Group. 

For billeted horses, the Horse Council of BC is requesting for horses to be registered through creating an online profile on the Horse Council of BC website. Horse Council BC is facilitating a central registry in order to help with this effort and has created a horse intake recording form to aid in monitoring horses displaced by the wildfires. The horse intake form is to be used by individuals who are not registered with an organized evacuation centre or regulated group and that are hauling or housing horses that have been displaced by the wildfires. Registration is required to receive direct financial aid or delivery of hay or supplies. If you have evaculated horses at your property and need hay or supplies, please contact the Horse Council of BC.

Travel permits:

INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES:

The City of Prince George has opened a resiliency centre to help support wildfire evacuees. The resiliency centre offers information and resources for evacuees, with access to insurance information from the Insurance Bureau of Canada, as well as representatives from financial institutions.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has organized insurers to set up tents and stations in the laneway in front of Prince George Secondary School, located at 2901 Griffiths Avenue and across the highway from the emergency reception centre at the College of New Caledonia.

See walking directions in map.

Insurance providers on site include:

• Insurance Bureau of Canada (operating 8:00am to 7:00pm)
• Wawanesa Insurance (operating 8:00pm to 7:00pm),
• Aviva Insurance (8:00am to 7:00pm),
  
  They provide a number of services, including setting up new claims and issuing emergency evacuation cheques.
  
  

Financial institutions on site include:

• RBC Royal Bank (operating 10:00am - 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, and 12:00pm - 4:00pm on Sunday)
• CIBC (operating 10:00 am – 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, and 12:00pm - 4:00pm on Sunday)
  
  

Additionally, insurance adjusters are available from Economical Insurance, located at the Coast Inn of the North (770 Brunswick Street), Aviva Insurance, located at the Prince George Curling Club (2601 Recplace Drive), and Intact Insurance, located at the Ramada Plaza (444 George Street). These insurers will be open 8:00am to 8:00pm indoors. 

The IBC Customer Information Centre can provide further information: 1-844-227-5422 or email askibcwest@ibc.ca.

• difficulty in breathing; 
• chest pain or discomfort; 
• sudden onset of a cough; or 
• irritation of airways. 

• People with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke and should watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure. If any symptoms are noted, affected individuals should take steps to reduce their exposure to smoke and if necessary see their physician. People with symptoms should go to their health care provider, walk in clinic, or emergency department depending on severity of symptoms.
• Use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity – if your breathing becomes difficult or uncomfortable, stop or reduce the activity.
  
• Stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
• Smoke levels may be lower indoors; however, levels of smoke particles will still be increased. If you stay indoors, be aware of your symptoms.
• Consider visiting a location like a shopping mall with cooler filtered air. Keep in mind that staying indoors may help you stay cool and provide some relief from the smoke. However, many air conditioning systems do not filter the air or improve indoor air quality.
• Reduce indoor pollution sources such as smoking or burning other materials.
• You may be able to reduce your exposure to smoke by moving to cleaner air. Conditions can vary dramatically by area and elevation.
• Residents with asthma or other chronic illness should activate their asthma or personal care plan.
• Pay attention to local air quality reports; air quality may be poor even though smoke may not be visible.
• Commercially available HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters can further reduce poor indoor air quality near the device.
• Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.
  Source: Interior Health
  
  More information
  
  For general information about smoke and your health, contact HealthLink BC available toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 8-1-1.
  
  
  If the public wants to know the Air Quality Health Index for their region, log on to www.bcairquality.ca or call (250) 952-2039.
  
  
  For fire information, visit www.bcwildfire.ca

• Forest fires and air quality are affecting mail and parcel delivery in certain communities in British Columbia. Canada Post has put contingency measures in place to serve the residents of British Columbia displaced by the fires. 
• Canada Post has created service alerts for affected communities in British Columbia:
  
• Red alerts - No mail or parcel delivery. All mail and parcels will be held securely. 
• Yellow alerts - Every effort is being made to deliver mail and parcels; however, some customer may not receive delivery today. Mail and parcels that can't be delivered will be held securely. 
• Green alerts - Mail delivery has been restored following a red or yellow alert. 

• Affected resident requiring urgent access to critical items, such as medications or passports, may call 1-800-267-1177. Residents looking for a secure destination to send items they purchase online may sign up for Canada Post’s free FlexDelivery service, which allows them to send online purchases to any post office in Canada.

• Residents of BC wildfire evacuated areas can pick up Government of Canada cheques, including their Canada Child Benefit (CCB) cheque, starting Thursday, July 20 at:
  
  

From pets to livestock, the evacuation effort is more than just about people.  

HOUSEHOLD PETS

College of New Caledonia reception centre:

ANIMALS AND LIVESTOCK

In Prince George, the Agriplex at the Exhibition Park is providing boarding space for animals and livestock. It is open 24 hours a day and provides facilities for a wide range of livestock, such as horses, goats, chickens, and pigs.

If you need to arrange livestock for pick-up, please contact Chelsea Wallach at 250-981-3499 to coordinate transport.

Billeting:
If you are looking for a billet to house or move animals affected by the wildfires, search for animal billeting resources in your area through this interactive map, provided by BC Animal Emergency Group. 

For billeted horses, the Horse Council of BC is requesting for horses to be registered through creating an online profile on the Horse Council of BC website. Horse Council BC is facilitating a central registry in order to help with this effort and has created a horse intake recording form to aid in monitoring horses displaced by the wildfires. The horse intake form is to be used by individuals who are not registered with an organized evacuation centre or regulated group and that are hauling or housing horses that have been displaced by the wildfires. Registration is required to receive direct financial aid or delivery of hay or supplies. If you have evaculated horses at your property and need hay or supplies, please contact the Horse Council of BC.

Travel permits:

• Canadian Red Cross Society (Rooms 1-310A and 1-310B)
• The Salvation Army (Room 1-317)
• First Nation Health Authority & Native Friendship Centre (CNC Atrium)
  
• Service Canada (Room 1-316)
• Ministry of Children & Family (Room 1-316)
• Indigenous & Northern Affairs Canada (Room 1-317). Hours of operation are 10:00am to 5:00pm.
  
  

1. Clear - bags for transporting dirty laundry 
2. Green - bags for clean laundry

• 3105 15th Avenue (hours of operation 8:00am to 7:45pm)
• 1699 Spruce Street (hours of operation 8:00am to 7:45pm)
• 2030 5th Avenue (hours of operation 8:00am to 7:15pm)

HEALTH SERVICES:

Are you an evacuee? Do you need health care?
Anyone displaced related to the fire situation is encouraged to seek health care attention from the following sites:

Nechako Medical Clinic (Extended hours)
Located in the Spruceland Shopping Mall - 761 Central Street
Hours: (subject to change)
Monday – Friday 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Salveo Medical Clinic (Extended hours)
Located in the Real Canadian Superstore - 2155 Ferry Avenue
Hours: (subject to change)
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

If you are feeling unwell, remember you can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line available in British Columbia.

PHARMACY SERVICES:

Displaced residents who are running low or need help filling prescriptions can go to any community pharmacy in any town across British Columbia. Pharmacists there can access a patient’s PharmaNet profile, dispense emergency refills or provide an emergency medication without a patient needing to visit a doctor’s office, a clinic, or hospital. 

Pharmacists from pharmacies across Prince George and the Cariboo region are on hand to help answer questions from patients about filling prescriptions, providing new medications and over-the-counter medication. Pharmacists will work with a patient’s insurance provider, as required, and PharmaNet to access a patient’s medication history. Individuals who need emergency supplies are advised to bring as much information as they can, such as a piece of identification, or an old bottle of medication or an inhaler to the site. However, pharmacists can help any evacuated patient in need no matter what resources they provide.

• College of New Caledonia front entrance 
• Prince George Secondary School front entrance (insurance and financial relief info) 
• Spotless Laundromat 15th Avenue location (laundry services) 
• Spotless Laundromat 5th Avenue location (laundry services) 
• UNBC Northern Sport Centre (east entrance - the main entrance for evacuees) 
• Aquatic Centre (near RV parking) 
  
  

College of New Caledonia reception centre:
Kids activities are available from 10:00am to 10:00pm in Room 1-723.
In the far end of the Gym, a lounge is available for group lodging evacuees. 
Access a computer with Internet or a variety of activities including Lego, colouring books, puzzles and children's and adult's books in the Library at Room 2-711 and 2-726.

The Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre:
Cariboo evacuee families receive free admission to The Exploration Place. View more info on The Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre.

Prince George Public Library:
Access free programs, Internet, books, video games, music and other collections. You don't need to live in Prince George to receive a library card. Just show one piece of ID with your home address. Need to use a computer and Internet? The Prince George Public Library provides up to two hours of computer and Internet usage with your library card. For those with their own mobile devices, unlimited wireless access is available to anyone visiting either branch of the Library. 

Prince George Aquatic Centre and Four Seasons Leisure Pool:
Evacuee families receive free admission at both the Prince George Aquatic Centre and the Four Seasons Leisure Pool. Register at the College of New Caledonia, and receive a yellow or purple wristband or yellow ticket for your free admission. 
View pool hours of operation
View fitness program info and schedule at PG Aquatic Centre.

YMCA of Northern BC:
The YMCA of Northern BC is open free of charge to all evacuees. Simply bring your photo ID or wristband with you. Join them for a workout, fitness class, or even a hot shower. View the YMCA fitness class schedule.

Insurance providers on site include:

• Insurance Bureau of Canada (operating 8:00am to 7:00pm),
• Wawanesa Insurance (operating 8:00pm to 7:00pm), 
• Aviva Insurance (8:00am to 7:00pm),

They provide a number of services, including setting up new claims and issuing emergency evacuation cheques.

Financial institutions on site include:

• RBC Royal Bank (operating 10:00am - 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, and 12:00pm - 4:00pm on Sunday)
• CIBC (operating 10:00 am – 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, and 12:00pm - 4:00pm on Sunday)
  
  

Additionally, insurance adjusters are available from Economical Insurance, located at the Coast Inn of the North (770 Brunswick Street), Aviva Insurance, located at the Prince George Curling Club (2601 Recplace Drive), and Intact Insurance, located at the Ramada Plaza (444 George Street). These insurers will be open 8:00am to 8:00pm indoors. 

The IBC Customer Information Centre can provide further information: 1-844-227-5422 or email askibcwest@ibc.ca.

• Forest fires and air quality are affecting mail and parcel delivery in certain communities in British Columbia. Canada Post has put contingency measures in place to serve the residents of British Columbia displaced by the fires. 
• Canada Post has created service alerts for affected communities in British Columbia:
  
• Red alerts - No mail or parcel delivery. All mail and parcels will be held securely. 
• Yellow alerts - Every effort is being made to deliver mail and parcels; however, some customer may not receive delivery today. Mail and parcels that can't be delivered will be held securely. 
• Green alerts - Mail delivery has been restored following a red or yellow alert. 

• Affected resident requiring urgent access to critical items, such as medications or passports, may call 1-800-267-1177. Residents looking for a secure destination to send items they purchase online may sign up for Canada Post’s free FlexDelivery service, which allows them to send online purchases to any post office in Canada.

• Residents of BC wildfire evacuated areas can pick up Government of Canada cheques, including their Canada Child Benefit (CCB) cheque, starting Thursday, July 20 at: