‘We wouldn’t have made it out’: Horse rescuer warns wildfire evacuation starts long before an order

In August 2023, as wildfires spread through the Shuswap in what would become the Bush Creek East wildfire, Carly Marchand decided to evacuate the horses at Freedom’s Gate Equine Rescue before anyone told her she had to leave. The rescue had not been placed under an evacuation alert, but smoke had become heavy and ash was falling across the property, covering buildings and vehicles. By then, she said, the fire was close enough that waiting for an official notice no longer seemed realistic or responsible.