Bowinn Ma

North Shuswap resident Kyle Boppre offers a simple explanation when asked why he defied an evacuation order issued as a wildfire bore down on his neighbourhood. “It’s just, I guess, in my blood to fight,” he said. “We were able to save our home.” Boppre and others in the small communities that dot the Shuswap region’s waterfront felt like they were on their own, with no choice but to take the firefight into their own hands. But authorities say that their actions put their lives at risk and imperil firefighting strategies. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said Wednesday the unwanted presence of evacuation scofflaws could prevent tactics such as water-bombing or controlled burns. …Trent Tucker, a professor at Thompson Rivers University, lost his home to the fires. He said it’s entirely irresponsible for people to stay back in evacuation zones, and he’s “extremely upset” by stories “lionizing” those who defy evacuation orders.