Residents who ignore evacuation orders and stay behind — supposedly to protect their own properties — have drawn the ire of Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.
He had blistering words for some residents of the Monte Lake area who had to be rescued by fire crews last night as the aggressive blaze left them few escape routes.
Farnworth says the firefighters “nearly paid with their lives” for some people’s refusal to abide by evacuation orders.
The minister says penalties of up to 10-thousand dollars can be slapped on those who ignore evacuation orders, but he says such fines have never been used in the past.
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