Interior Health (IH) is responding to the potential for fire-related impacts to health facilities and clients in the community of Kimberley.
As a precautionary measure, IH is relocating 53 residents from the Kimberley Special Care Home to alternate locations away from the affected area.
Interior Health is contacting families directly with updates. Families will be informed of their loved one’s temporary location, and updates provided once all relocations have been completed.
Home Health staff are in contact with community clients to continue to provide individualized care plans during this period. As always, anyone requiring emergency care should proceed to East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook.
This is an evolving situation, and we are working closely with local and regional partners as well as the BC Wildfire Service to support the health and safety of patients, clients, residents, and individuals in the affected area.
Those requiring additional support are encouraged to call the BC Crisis Line at 310-6789, KUU-US Indigenous Crisis Services at 1-800-588-8717, or MNBC Métis Crisis Line at 1-833-638-4722.
Everyone is reminded to make preparations for wildfires, and smoky skies as air quality deteriorates by visiting: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/natural-disasters-and-emergencies/wildfires
Install the BC Wildfire Service mobile app (Android or iOS) or visit the BC Wildfire Service
Dashboard to find information on current wildfire activity: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status
The FireWork Forecast shows maps of predicted smoke impacts over the next 48 hours:
https://weather.gc.ca/firework/.
For additional resources, please visit the Regional District of East Kootenay’s website. - https://www.rdek.bc.ca/
Interior Health continues to monitor wildfire activity across the region. We will provide updates as new information is available.
