You can self-register for Emergency Support Services (ESS) 24/7 at https://ess.gov.bc.ca/

If you need assistance registering for ESS, contact the BC Evacuee Helpline at 1-800-387-4258 from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

ESS registration is available in-person at Shxwhá:y Village, 44680 Schweyey Road, Chilliwack, July 18 from 9 AM to 5 PM and July 19 from 10 AM to 6 PM.

For more information about in-person ESS registration, contact the Shxwhá:y Village Cultural Welcoming Centre at 250-640-9168. If your call is not answered, do not leave a message. Please hang up and try again.

The Seabird Island Welcoming Centre at 2895 Chowat Road, Agassiz, is open today, July 18 from 8 AM to 5 PM, and is open to all evacuees For more information, you can call them at 604-997-9909.

We understand you have concerns about the things you have left behind. Unfortunately, it is not safe for you to enter an evacuation order area. Only authorized personnel and firefighting crews are allowed to go through the roadblock at this time. RCMP have deployed increased resources to the area to support public safety.

Check DriveBC for up-to-date information on highway road conditions.

BC Wildfire regularly updates its Dashboard with information about wildfires around the Province of British Columbia. You can download the official BC Wildfire Service mobile app for free download in the App Store and on Google Play or visit their website. You can also check out FVRD's Incident Map.

Emergencies are often dynamic, fast-moving events. If you are on Evacuation Alert, this means you should be ready to leave at any moment. Alertable is an emergency notification system that enables the FVRD to send alerts to residents, businesses, and visitors during critical events. Download the free Alertable app for iOS and Android smartphones, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant home devices. You can also sign up for free email, SMS, and traditional phone call notifications. Alertable will send out a notification if there is an evacuation order. During an evacuation, firefighting personnel and RCMP may knock on doors to evacuate the community. 

For those evacuated, please visit https://ess.gov.bc.ca/ to self-register for Emergency Support Services.

If you require further assistance with BC Services Card verification for ESS, please call 1-800-387-4258.

All evacuees in need of in-person support can go to Shxwhá:y Village, 44680 Schweyey Road, Chilliwack.

The Cultural Welcoming Centre (Shxwhá:y Village) will enable evacuees to register and be referred to service providers for shelter and food.

For the most up-to-date operating hours for ESS assistance, view Question #1.

Emergency Support Services (ESS) provides short-term emergency support and information to individuals and households evacuated due to a nearby hazard or disaster. ESS provides safety-net supports on a case-by-case basis for underinsured people displaced by an emergency.

To determine eligibility for ESS supports, evacuees must connect with an ESS responder at a designated Reception Centre, either virtually or in person, to complete a needs assessment. If deemed eligible, and if proof of address is provided, the evacuee may be issued referral vouchers for one or more of the following emergency supports: food, clothing, lodging, and incidentals.

ESS is a referral-based program and does not provide cash or reimburse evacuees for expenses. Emergency shelter may be provided on cots or air mattresses in open gymnasiums or community centres. If you have been evacuated due to an interface wildfire, contact your home or tenant insurance provider to report the evacuation order and ask about available coverage and supports.

Residents of the FVRD electoral area with a verified address within an evacuation order area may be eligible for remote ESS supports on a case-by-case basis.

During an emergency, hydro is often de-energized to ensure firefighter and first responder safety and to prevent future fire start ups. Residents under evacuation alert should expect intermittent power outages.

Personal emergency preparedness is a high priority when you're on Evacuation Alert. In addition to making sure you have all of the things you might need in the event of an Evacuation Order, you may also want to consider FireSmart actions you can take with your property. Here are some helpful documents that you can use to prepare your property that may help reduce the risk of wildfire. 

Emergency Wildfire Preparedness Checklist [PDF - 87 KB]

Tips for Preparing Your Home [PDF - 543 KB]

Wildland Fire Evacuation Checklist [PDF - 509 KB]

If you are currently receiving ESS support and are still under an evacuation order, additional support is available until July 18, 2026.

• If you received support by e-transfer: No action is required. Your support will be renewed automatically until July 18, 2026. Additional support funds will be sent to your account.
• If you received support through a paper referral: Visit Shxwhá:y Village, 44680 Schweyey Road, Chilliwack, to apply for a new referral.

For any questions or further information, please call the BC Evacuee Helpline at 1-800-387-4258.

If you are in Electoral Area A, call the FVRD EOC Public Information Line at 778-704-0400 or visit fvrd.ca/eoc for information.

If you live on First Nation lands, follow direction from your community leadership.

Not sure which jurisdiction you are in? Use the FVRD Web Map to confirm your location. You can also visit EmergencyInfoBC for current, verified emergency information in B.C.

The Hope Transfer Station, located at 22970 Trans-Canada Highway, Hope, is currently accepting household garbage, recycling, and organics from residents of FVRD Electoral Area A and neighbouring First Nations communities while the Chaumox Landfill remains closed due to the Evacuation Order.

The transfer station is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. ID must be shown and tipping fees apply.

While the FVRD does not have jurisdiction over wells, the following information is available to help residents take appropriate precautions and access accurate resources for their wells.

The Fraser Health Authority advises if a wildfire has occurred close to your well or property, do not use your well water. It may be contaminated by:

• fire-suppressants
• ashes from burned materials
• toxic chemicals from melted well parts
• contaminants released from: stored fuel, heating oil tanks, damaged septic tanks
• chemical released by the combustion of soil and wood

If you own a well that supplies water to only one connection, such as a private household, you are responsible for testing your water to confirm it is safe to drink. Wells should be flushed, disinfected, and inspected before testing the water quality. Water samples can then be sent to a qualified laboratory for testing.

If you have questions about your well water or water testing, contact the Fraser Health drinking water program at HPLand@fraserhealth.ca or 604-870-7900 to be connected with a Drinking Water Environmental Health Officer.

Helpful resources:

• Health Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environment/drinking-water/well/safety-during-after-emergencies.html
• HealthLink BC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/well-water-testing

Although Highway 1 has reopened, all Evacuation Orders remain in place. If your property is within an Evacuation Order area, you are not allowed to return home until the Evacuation Order has been lifted. There is no stopping along Highway 1 within the wildfire zone.

For current Evacuation Orders, visit fvrd.ca/eoc.

We have security personnel patrolling evacuated areas and working with the RCMP to monitor for suspicious activity. Checkpoints have been set up to restrict access to the area.

If you are still in an Evacuation Order area, you must leave immediately. Aside from leaving the Evacuation Order area, you are not permitted to travel around within the Evacuation Order area. Doing so puts your safety and the safety of emergency responders at risk.