
B.C. school districts relieved 2 elementary schools in evacuation areas survived devastating wildfire
CBC
As the new school year approaches, two school districts in B.C.'s Interior say it comes as a great relief that two elementary schools in evacuation zones were spared from the wildfires ravaging the region.
Even as blazes roared around them, the North Shuswap Elementary School in Celista and the Rose Valley Elementary School in West Kelowna survived with little to no damage.
It comes despite widespread destruction due to the McDougall Creek wildfire in West Kelowna and the Bush Creek East wildfire in the Shuswap region, which includes Celista.
The latest count shows that 189 structures in the Central Okanagan and 131 in the Shuswap have been damaged or destroyed due to the fires.
Despite both schools being in areas that were under evacuation orders, their survival has meant teachers and students can look forward to returning this September, according to district officials.
"It was an immense relief," said Donna Krieger, superintendent of the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District (SD 830, who said she discovered the school was intact on Aug. 21.
"From a first glance in our first walk-through, the school looks like it is in excellent condition…from all accounts, the school looks like it is in absolutely pristine condition," she told host Shelley Joyce on CBC's Daybreak Kamloops Monday.
According to SD 83's website, North Shuswap Elementary School is the sole school in Celista, an unincorporated community with more than 500 residents. Approximately 130 students from kindergarten to Grade 8 attend the school.
Celista is one of the North Shuswap communities still under evacuation orders due to the Bush Creek East wildfire.
Krieger remains hopeful that students from Celista and neighbouring communities like Scotch Creek and Anglemont will be able to return to North Shuswap Elementary once evacuation orders are lifted, power is restored, and traffic access to the surrounding area is reinstated.
But the school district has also been exploring alternative locations. They have considered using a community hall as a temporary place where students can learn with their teachers for the upcoming school year, which is expected to begin later than usual.
Krieger also says the school district would provide additional counselling services for both students and teachers, recognizing that some of them have lost their homes due to the wildfires.
"This really is going to be a unique start to the school year," she said. "There's a lot that they've experienced, and we know that kids aren't going to be able to learn until they're emotionally regulated."
For Krieger, the untouched North Shuswap Elementary School stands as "a beacon of hope" for the fire-ravaged community.