B.C. wildfires: Province offering mental health support for evacuees

The B.C. government is now offering up mental health supports for the 15,000-plus people in the province who remain under evacuation orders.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, disaster psychological support team members from the Provincial Health Services Authority have been deployed to reception centres in the Interior.

"It's a really difficult time for people, and there isn't without those anxieties and worries, and people do suffer through, they hang tough but you know it's not easy,” said Dave Hutton, the director of the province’s psychosocial team.

Hutton says team members will be on the front lines providing a wide range of supports, whether that’s simply helping people check in or helping find them further mental health help.

"Whether that's some additional support or some additional coping information or links, we can do that",” he said.

Hutton says they’ll also be there to simply lend an ear if needed.

"If people are going through and there's a way just to sit down with them and tell their story,” he said.

The First Nations Health Authority says it will also continue to assist Indigenous people who have been forced to evacuate.

It said mental health and wellness clinicians will continue to be scheduled to support at evacuation sites, and that there will be appropriate access to harm reduction supplies.

Evacuees can visit the government website to find further supports, or call the Indigenous wellness helpline at 1-855-242-3310.