Cook's Ferry Indian Band Chief Christine Walkem said five fires in just over two months were started along train tracks adjacent to reserve land.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Christine Walkem

A Thompson Valley First Nation has seen five wildfires along railway tracks in just over two months. It's calling on rail companies and the federal government to better manage the risk in the fire prone region.

Cook's Ferry Indian Band issued a news release on July 7 detailing the fires and the community's vigilant response to them as the wildfire season heats up.

Chief Christine Walkem said the First Nation, and nearby Spences Bridge, are not resourced to properly manage the risk of repeated fires, but it's often community members who are first on the scene.

"Our confidence in response is rocked," Chief Walkem said in the release. "Community members are often first to show up on site. First to report and often stay throughout the life of a fire to monitor growth and response."

READ MORE: Timeline unclear for repairs on BC Housing apartment in Kamloops

The communities have both Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National tracks pass through as they meet in Kamloops and each continues to the Lower Mainland along the Thompson and Fraser rivers. Although the cause of the Lytton Creek wildfire in 2021 that destroyed much of the village was never proven to be due to a passing train, Walkem said the band believes it to be the case.

"We cannot have a repeat of the 2021 disaster," Walkem said.

The first of the fires was on April 30 when a railway tie caught fire near Spatsum between Cache Creek and Spences Bridge. Cook's Ferry community members doused the fire with water bottles they filled from the river nearby.

"These fires have caused significant distress and disruption in our community. The risk to lives, homes and our environment is unacceptable. The recurring nature of these incidents underscores a systemic issue with CPKC and CNR fire prevention and response protocols," Walkem said. "This situation is exasperated as our community was threatened in 2021 by the Lytton Creek fire, which resulted in a lengthy investigation."

READ MORE: Kamloops man learning to live with father's unsolved murder eight years on

Spokespeople for both CN and CPKC said each company is taking fire management seriously. Both companies said they responded to the First Nation to discuss the five fires and preparations for future fire risk.

Chief legal officer for CN Olivier Chouc's response to Walkem was also provided to iNFOnews.ca. He said the single fire Walkem attributed to CN on July 4 was started 150 feet away from the tracks and, after inspecting the train, found "no condition that could have caused or contributed to the fire."

He extended an invitation for further consultation with Walkem and Cook's Ferry, while also explaining CN's wildfire response and prevention protocols.

Both companies have fire suppression trains. CN has two locomotives in BC while CPKC has five that carry thousands of litres of water used for wildfires near the tracks.

CPKC also contracts helicopters for fire suppression, spokesperson Terry Cunha said in a written statement. One of those helicopters was the first at the scene for two of the wildfires Walkem noted in her news release, he said, adding that the fires Walkem pointed to are under investigation.

Both companies asserted that the Transportation Safety Board's investigation found no link between railway operations and the 2021 Lytton wildfire.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.

News from © iNFOnews, 2024