Kamloops-Centre MLA Peter Milobar is criticizing BC Wildfire Service for allegedly just watching the Mine Creek blaze burn instead of responding to it.
He is also alleging that the Coquihalla Highway is fine to drive.
"I drove through around 11:30 a.m. today (Sept. 3) and was on the other side of the ridge," Milobar said via social media on Wednesday. "No actioning (can you say save money with fiscal mess) and now we have a closed major highway, at what cost to the economy and infrastructure impacts? A fire that is being actioned, taking a run is one thing, just watching it burn is another thing all together."
His comment was made in response to Bob Price, the former news director at CHNL Radio in Kamloops, criticizing BC Wildfire on social media. Specifically, Price said that BC Wildfire embarrassed themselves by allowing the Mine Creek wildfire to burn, and reach its current size, and wondered if they "have the balls to step before even a wimpy news media to face questions like why they think it's okay to destroy billions of dollars worth of infrastructure...power lines, weaken bridge decks."
Discovered on Monday, Sept. 1, the wildfire is estimated at 1,900 hectares according to BC Wildfire Service's latest update as of 10:36 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4.
It is located 44 kilometres northeast of Hope, and, due to the blaze reaching the road, the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt has been closed until further notice. The fire is highly visible, and plumes of smoke can be seen from Hope.
One evacuation order and two evacuation alerts have also been issued by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the Fraser Valley Regional District due to the wildfire.
Ravi Parmar, the Minister for the Ministry of Forests, said that Milobar was "amplifying dangerous conspiracy theories."
"I'm shocked this long-time MLA is amplifying dangerous conspiracy theories," Parmar said via social media. "Insulting the men and women at the BC Wildfire Service by claiming they're sitting back and doing nothing is a pathetic move when lives are on the line."
The wildfire is believed to have been sparked by lightning and, according to BC Wildfire, the blaze is burning at Rank 2 and 3 fire behaviour, meaning "a surface fire, with an organized flame front, and occasional candling along the perimeter."
"We are expecting fire behaviour to increase throughout the day," BC Wildfire said in their latest update. "Accessing this fire has been challenging due to multiple bridges being washed out in the area from previous flooding. Today, Sept. 4, crews will be working along the east flank of the fire, to establish access where it is safe to do so."
Twenty-three firefighters, helicopters, and a structural protection crew are responding to the fire.
