Penticton Indian Band chief calls for emergency route

The chief of the Penticton Indian Band in British Columbia is asking the province to address the need for an alternative emergency route out of communities during a crisis.

Chief Greg Gabriel, whose members are among the evacuees, cited Highway 97 being cut off by the Bald Range wildfire as an issue.

“These weather events are not a natural phenomenon,” Gabriel said about the over 19,000 hectare blaze with BC premier David Eby standing in the background.

“Each and every year we deal with the same situation but we are not making any progress trying to fix these problems.”