Well, it’s been 366 days since we were attacked by the Bush Creek East wildfire, how are we doing so far? What’s the State of the North Shuswap at this time? Here’s what I know regarding building permits from fire damaged properties to date: Challenges in rebuilding – There are, of course, many challenges in rebuilding homes and businesses. Most have to do with rules that have changed over time, and reports that are required, since the home was originally…
10:11am Wednesday June 26, 2024I just received an alert from the Alertable app suggesting that there is a chance of heavy rain in this afternoons thunderstorms. If you are in a Red or Orange zone it’s important to stay aware of the amount of rain received, and remember it’s not just where you are, but upstream from you. If you see that heavy rain for as little as 15 minutes, there is a heightened chance of a landslide/debris flow. I…
You may or may not know that the province is changing the rules for short-term rentals. There is a new Short Term Rental Accommodation Act which aims to limit short-term rentals in favour of returning second homes etc. to long-term rentals. The goal is to reduce the housing crisis. The main target of this Act is municipalities with greater than 10,000 population, like Salmon Arm for instance. But this does not let everyone else off the hook. Short-term rental unit…
possibly… This note is direct from the CSRD June 14, 2024 Rainfall increases landslide risk in wildfire-affected areas Due to the increased risk of landslides in the areas affected by the Bush Creek East Wildfire, the Shuswap Emergency Program wants to alert residents and visitors to the area of the possibility of severe rainstorms over the weekend. Intense rain in these affected areas can trigger debris flows and debris floods that could threaten public safety and property. The Environment Canada forecast…
This information is direct from the CSRD webpage with a couple of my comments at the bottom. Unfortunately there is a lot of territory that shows as being in some kind of risk, far more than is not at risk. The upcoming meetings will provide more information on what we might expect and CSRD efforts to make us aware of potential dangerous situations. I recommend joining one or the other. Posted on: June 7, 2024 UPDATE: Post Wildfire Landslide Risk…
We’re just getting some information on the results of this report and anticipate more information later today. This will be the first post in series to make you aware of these meetings, and to update you when more information is available. The CSRD Protective Services is taking this very seriously and wants to get the meetings message out to all people in areas affected by the Fire. Basically, any intense rainfall event may trigger a debris flow/landslide condition in areas…
I’ve had some questions about the Wharf Road Park and how the water system will be impacting it’s use this summer. The response I’ve had from Tim Perepolkin, Manager of Utility Services at the CSRD is as follows: We just had a meeting this morning and they are just wrapping up a few final tests on the intake pipes that were drilled into the lake before they can start the building construction. The current schedule will see the piping under…
It’s that time of year again, Mosquito Time! My understanding is that the permit is at BC Parks awaiting their signoff. I’ve asked for this as soon as possible. Fingers crossed! Update June 6, 2024. I just heard from CSRD staff: “just a quick note to advise that the Province has issued the permit to allow for the monitoring and treatment of mosquitos in the Shuswap Lake Park for the 2024 season. Our contractor has been informed and will be…
The CSRD staff came out to the North and South Shuswap in early March to gather feedback from the community in terms of how their emergency services, and other events that the CSRD had control over, were handled. The report is now available. From the discussion that will come to the CSRD board on Thursday this week, a number of recommendations have been identified. I think that all these recommendations are valuable and I hope that many/most/all are implemented. What’s…
I just had a meeting with Samaritans Purse. You may remember them as being one of the first service organizations that arrived after the fire. They came to help ‘sift the ashes’ of burned homes to try to retrieve any possible sentimental or valuable keepsakes. They were very helpful.They’ve just hired a new person to continue working in the area. Leila Lewis (of our local Lewis quarry family) is brand new (so give her a bit of time to come…