Phase Two and Toxic Smoke

As of today there are 2353 positive cases of COVID-19 in the province. 180 of those cases are in the Interior Health Region.

BC is beginning phase 2 of their re-opening plan. The following businesses will slowly be re-opening, after making changes to comply with new enhanced protocols; restoration of health services including elective surgery, medically related services including dentistry, physiotherapy, registered massage therapy, and chiropractors; physical therapy, speech therapy, and similar services; hair salons, barbers, and other personal service establishments; in-person counselling; restaurants, cafes, and pubs (with sufficient distancing measures); museums, art galleries, and libraries; office-based worksites; recreation and sports; parks, beaches, and outdoor spaces and child care. If transmission rates remain low, more industries will begin to re-open in June. There is planning underway for the Major League Baseball to start their 2020 season.

There will be The Ashcroft HUB will possibly be re-opening in early June. They are waiting for confirmation from Interior Health as to whether gyms and community centres can re-open with this first wave of business opening. MLA Jackie Tegart reminded her Twitter followers that this week is not only National Museum week, but also National Nurses Week. She asks everyone to shine a light in your window this week to celebrate Florence Nightingale's 200th birthday, and all the nurses on the front line working tirelessly during this pandemic.

The BC Wildfires Service is taking extra precautions during COVID-19, including issuing a backyard burning ban earlier than usual. Because of the potential for slower response times of fire departments, they are being pro-active in their approach and made the decision to issue the ban. Campfires are still permitted.

A fire started via spontaneous combustion at the compost facility approximately 10 kms. east of Cache Creek on Highway 1 over the weekend. The facility formerly produced mushroom compost; it now takes food waste and turns it into compost. The facility manager has indicated that he and his crew are fighting the fire with equipment and water from the site. The fire has been contained and a containment perimeter (fire line) has been established. The manager says that because of the heat and smoke, the crew has not been able to begin working on tearing apart the area where the fire is located as they cannot get close enough to it. BC Wildfire Service has been to the site to monitor it. As the fire is not threatening any structures, communities, or Crown Land, they do not have the authority to go on to private property and fight it. They will continue to monitor the situation.

The smoke resulting from the fire is affecting the area. Due to an inversion caused by a high pressure ridge over the area, the smoke tends to clear during the day and then settle in during the evening when the temperature drops. The smoke is still around in the morning, but as the temperature increases it tends to dissipate. There is no timeline as to when we can expect the fire to be extinguished completely and/or the smoke to cease to be a factor in the area.