Handful of Tumbler Ridge residents helping evacuees

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — Approximately 20 Tumbler Ridge residents have decided to stay behind, and a handful of them have been helping evacuees.

Tim Croston, a Tumbler Ridge resident, said he and about five other residents have been going around the community to help out residents who had to leave pets, plants and mementos behind.

He said he chose to stay in town to do what he could to protect his property.

“We felt that at least if we’re in town, we have a chance of saving what we’ve worked our entire lives for,” Croston said.

He added that he also lives away from the fire’s edge and very close to a highway to get out of town.

“As a grown adult that can make my own decisions, I decided to take that risk,” Croston said.

As for how he started helping evacuees with the homes they left behind, he said it started on day two of the evacuation order when someone asked if he could check on their chickens.

“They left town in a hurry, pretty hard to take chickens with you,” Croston said.

Shortly after, he saw that Pacific Northern Gas had asked evacuees to turn off their gas valves before leaving town, which prompted him to put up his own post, asking if anyone wanted him to turn off the valves for them.

“The response was overwhelming, so I started driving around town, turning off gas valves for places that I was requested, and I checked on these people’s chickens,” Croston said.

That is when he realized other people must have stuff they’ve left behind, so he reached out to a few to let them know there were a few residents still in town.

“We were actually organized at that point, and we were willing to look after people’s pets or whatever needed to be done, basically,” Croston said.

Now he and his small group look after about a dozen properties.

“We’re looking after chickens, ensuring they’re fed and watered, cats that people have had to behind, a pig, believe it or not,” Croston said.

“Lizards, fish, hamsters, just pets that people couldn’t take with them.”

He said he also contacted the mayor to find a location for the cats they caught to stay and were given access to kennels.

The group also expanded their offer to include water gardens and greenhouses.

“The last several days, that’s what we’ve been doing, feeding animals, watering places,” Croston said.

He says he’ll also try to take pictures and share them with the families to reassure them that their pets are okay.

He said evacuees also started reaching out to him, saying they were out of town when they were told to evacuate, so they asked him to grab some important documents.

“Last night was the big one. A lady had lost her son at 29 years of age and reached out to me asking me if I could get just a few mementos of her son,” Croston said.

“Complete strangers are literally asking me to enter their residences and do this for them.”

RCMP have recently asked him and other residents who stayed behind to stay on their own properties.

If any Tumbler Ridge evacuees would like to speak with Croston, he can be reached through his Facebook page.

Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the BC SPCA has arrived in the community to help locate pets left behind and feed their animals.

Krakowka wanted to mention that EOC officers and ESS volunteers are working on requests, responses and solutions behind the scenes, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

“I personally am definitely responding to it and trying to send it through the right channels if we can get them assistance, whether it’s lodging and the food vouchers,” said Krakowka.

“We’re trying not to overload our EOC or any ESS help desk or where we’re sending our questions because those folks are volunteers too, and they’re full out.”

Part of the issues they face is finding solutions for residents who crossed the border to Grande Prairie when they evacuated, but he says he is working on a solution.

If residents are looking for assistance or have any questions, Krakowka can be contacted at 250-242-1459.

For the latest evacuation information, visit PRRD’s and Tumbler Ridge’s websites.

For the latest wildfire information, visit BC Wildfire Service’s website.