Whitehorse residents collecting supplies for Lower Post evacuees

Some Whitehorse residents are rallying to help evacuees from Lower Post, B.C.

Corinna Yuilland her husband, Richard Yuill, aregathering supplies to bring to the Watson Lake recreation centre, which is being used as a reception location for evacuees.

People from Lower Post were told on Tuesday to leave their community because of nearby wildfires. Watson Lake is about 22kilometres up the highway.

As of Thursday, evacuees were being told it could be days before it was safe to return to Lower Post. Some homes had already been destroyed.

Corinna Yuill grew up in Watson Lake, and has family in Lower Post.

"Our hearts are really near and dear to those folks there," she said.

She says she has been in contact with volunteers at the Watson Lake recreation centre who made a list of supplies needed to help the evacuees.

Yuill has posted the list on her own Facebook page and the Whitehorse buy and sell page.

This list is mostly comprised of food items such as pasta, rice, and sandwich meat, to help make meals for the evacuees at the recreation centre.Yuillplans toupdate the list as the needs of the community change.

"We just want to help and do whatever we can," she said.

The Yuills arealso collecting e-transfers for those who want to donate but are unable to drop off supplies to them in Whitehorse. Yuillhas collected more than $500 in donations that will be used to buy things on her list.

A trailer will be in the Whitehorse Superstore parking lot Thursday and Friday for people who want to drop off donations.The Yuills will drivethe trailerto Watson Lake on Saturday.

"We need support from the community to fill that list," CorinnaYuill said.

Earlier this month, the Yuillsalso collected donated goods for people displaced by wildfires near Telegraph Creek, B.C.