United Way BC opens fund for those affected by Wesley Ridge fire

Jones says the fund is to support those who have been evacuated or affected by the Wesley Ridge fire through basic needs assistance. Photo: BC Wildfire Service

As the Wesley Ridge fire continues to burn in the Cameron Lake area, United Way BC has opened its wildfire fund to help those affected by the fire.

Currently, there are evacuation alerts for roughly 260 homes in the areas of the Little Qualicum River Village, Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park and the north side of Cameron Lake as of August 6 at 4 p.m.

To help those who have been affected by the fire or evacuation orders, United Way BC has opened its Wildfire Recovery Fund.

Tobias Jones, assistant director of community impact and investment for United Way BC, spoke to CHLY about the fund.

Jones said the fund is to support those who have been evacuated or affected by the Wesley Ridge fire through basic needs assistance with items such as food security, mental health support, day camps for kids, gas cards or grants for recovery and social rebuilding. 

“So really addressing any gaps that we see as a result of this wildfire,” Jones said.

He said this is the first time the fund has been opened for a fire on Vancouver Island.

“We have a large experience utilizing funds across the province for wildfire-impacted communities in the past, and we have a lot of experience working closely with nonprofit agencies that are on the ground that often support the impacts to the community,” Jones said.  “So we work very, very closely with those partner agencies and identify what those gaps are.”

Currently, United Way is looking for donations for the fund so they can keep it open as long as it is needed during the fire.

“British Columbia obviously has a long history of wildfires, and what we see time and time again as the ferocity of these wildfires increases, that community members stand up and support fellow British Columbians,” he said. “So we're making that appeal today for donations to support the response to this wildfire, and those donations received for this fund will go to this wildfire specifically.”

Along with this fund, when the wildfire first started on July 31, United Way called out for volunteers to help at the group lodging area, where people are being evacuated to.

Jones said they were lucky to have enough people step up and offer to volunteer.

“I think this fire that we've seen on the island is unprecedented for this community, and we saw a need for volunteers. We worked closely with the operations center and were able to support with volunteers,” he said. “As things change and develop, we may see another call, but right now, we've met that kind of number that we're looking for.”

Jones said United Way works with local agencies and groups in the central Vancouver Island area to administer the funds. The organizations can apply for the funding to help amplify the work they are doing to respond to the effects of the fire by supporting those with basic needs, from food and water to mental health support. 

“We are continually in contact with the agencies with which we are working on the ground. From our past experience of wildfires, those needs change, right? The immediate needs that we see, things like gas and food vouchers and water, then change to the longer-term recovery efforts,” he said. “So we will continue to work really closely with those partner agencies and identify what those needs are, and continue this fund when it is appropriate.”

Jones said currently there is no goal for donations, but they will continue to take in donations for the wildfire fund as long as support is still needed in the community.

Update information about the evacuation alerts can be found on the Regional District of Nanaimo website.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.