Yukon MLA helps family and friends leave fire-threatened Telegraph Creek

Jeanie Dendys says the evacuation of Telegraph Creek in northern British Columbia over the weekend went smoothly.

Dendys isthe Liberalmember of the Yukon Legislature for Mountainviewand a cabinet minister.Her sister currently lives in Telegraph Creek.

Dendys said she had planned to go there for a music festival, but that changed when a forest fire last week began to threaten the community.

She said she assisted with the co-ordination and implementation of the evacuation, which was ordered on Sunday.

A B.C. government website says about 300 people are affected.

The community realized on Saturday that people would have to leave, Dendys said.

The evacuation beganthat day for people who were considered vulnerable, she said. It continued early Sunday for people who didn't need to be there, while those considered essential left Sunday night when the evacuation order was issued.

"Everyone stepped up, and the plan was executed in a very good way, and everyone was safe at the end of the day and got out," Dendys said Monday.

She said residents have relocated to nearby communities, including Dease Lake and Iskut, B.C.

An update issued by the B.C. Wildfire Service on Monday morning said the fire was about fivekilometres from Telegraph Creek.

It said crews are concentrating on improving the firebreak between the fire and the community and protecting two bridges in the area.