A tragic lesson on why evacuation orders should always be heeded...

One person has died and another is seriously injured after refusing to obey an evacuation order due to a wildfire in B.C.'s Cariboo region.

The two people who refused to leave a fire zone near Meldrum Creek, west of Williams Lake, were involved in two separate accidents on Sunday.

Officials with the Cariboo Regional District have released few details, but say the two people ignored an evacuation order.

"These people were still within the evacuation area," said Shelly Burich, who speaks for the Cariboo Regional District emergency operations centre.

"When there is an evacuation order in place, there is limited access to emergency vehicles and emergency services. When they're under an evacuation order, those roads are closed, so that doesn't allow anybody to come in and be able to help them."

I see the Darwin Awards are accepting candidates.

HJ

Why do the people on this forum have an overwhelming compulsion to immediately pounce (once again) on the "Darwin Awards" band wagon? It makes me wish I never posted the link. I thought that with posting here it would promote intelligent and perhaps, thought provoking conversation...guess I wrong again. I very seldom see this type of behavior on other forums I frequent and post the same or similar links.

I would not immediately evacuate just because someone told me to. I would look at their warnings/recommendations, look at the situation, use my best judgement and decide for myself. In this case it might have been a mistake not to evacuate (but we don't know the details so we can't judge). But in other cases, I'm sure more harm has come DUE to evacuating. An uncontrolled fire near your property is a pretty good reason to evacuate, but again, we don't know the specific details of the situation.

Hikin'Jim,You should read the comments section of this published Tragedy in Teslinhiker's post,For there lies the truth!I believe an Apology is in order here,Don't You?

Bro, I apolgize. Didn't mean to offend. Perhaps I rushed to judgement or made assumptions that I shouldn't have.

Usually, in my area, the people who defy orders really don't have any idea of what they're getting into and wind up putting firefighters who have to rescue them at risk. I consider that a poor choice.

HJ

The story itself is kind of an odd one, since the fatality had nothing to do with the either the fire or the evacuation order. The news org. presented it rather poorly IMO.

As for the evacuation order itself: basically, it's the authorities saying "understand this clearly: you could be cut off, and if that happens we cannot and will not come in to help you."

There are situations where someone might choose, if they were very well-informed and well-equipped, to stay.

But most people haven't seen a wind-driven fire in action, and that means they could make a very wrong choice. I've fought a couple of wind-driven grass fires and boy do those things move. My response to a crowning forest fire is simple and unequivocal: get me the h*ll out of here!

All the authorities can do is issue the warnings and give the advice to leave. That drops it in the lap of the prospective evacuees. If they don't leave, fine...

BUT if they decide not to leave, they shouldn't be able to cry for help when the fire or hurricane is ten feet from their door, putting prospective rescuers in danger.

You pays your money and you takes your chances. People want to make their own decisions, so let them live with them. Or die with them. There's no point to arguing and fighting with them.

Sue

Doug is saying it right. The story is misleading.
Sometimes the reporting just leaves you shaking your head.

Here's a better story:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...article1659537/

There's also a segway regarding the two water bomber pilots that lost their lives. These guys were real fliers, not content to 'drive the bus,' and I have immense respect for them. Condolences to the families.