After some sense of normality has returned to life in the 亚洲天堂 Lake area following last summer鈥檚 wildfires, the land itself still tells stories of the disaster.

Driving on the west end of Francois Lake, a blackened hillside of thin, burnt trees is visible and eventually that scene stretches back hundreds of metres from the road.

鈥淭he fire fingered through there,鈥� said 亚洲天堂 Lake Village councillor Charlie Rensby, who pointed at stands of green trees alongside burned ones.

鈥淏ut it came through here like a wall,鈥� he told Lakes District 亚洲天堂, as he pointed to whole swathes of charred soil and thin black poles that used to be trees.

鈥淲hen it came through here it was so hot it burned everything down to the rock,鈥� he said.

Rensby stood at a junction where last August he provided support for members of the local Blackwell and Priest families when they built a fireguard road in an effort to stop the Nadina fire which was spreading from Topley towards Francois Lake.

They were left to construct it themselves because firefighting authorities didn鈥檛 have the air support or resources to help them.

鈥淲e had to wait three days to get permission [from BC Wildfire Service] to build this fireguard. If we had approval to build it in one day the fire probably wouldn鈥檛 have progressed,鈥� he explained.

As winter approaches the risks from after-effects of the wildfires are minimal, but spring rains and snowmelt might bring the danger of mudslides that could damage homes and roads.

Many of the hills on the west and south sides of the lake are fully or partially black, and they overlook roads and in some cases houses.

鈥淢udslides are 100 per cent made worse by last summer鈥檚 fires. The tree roots hold in all the soil, sand and clay. When that鈥檚 gone it gets washed down easily,鈥� Rensby said.

Some local residents aren鈥檛 taking chances with next year鈥檚 fire season.

Risa Johansen, owner of Takysie Lake Resort, has helped form the Chinook Emergency Response Society (CERS).

The resort owner last summer refused evacuation orders and stayed behind to protect her property.

The CERS 鈥渁ims to help protect people and assess skills and equipment that can be used for future fires, so we have a better sense of what to do. A lot of people who left might not leave next time. We need to be prepared and know what to do,鈥� she explained.

Disappointment over how official firefighting powers handled the wildfires also spurred her to organize the CERS.

鈥淚 appreciate what BC Wildfires does but it appears they鈥檙e a bit out of their league,鈥� she said, adding that the group would have their own emergency plans but would still try and cooperate with the authorities.

鈥淲e鈥檙e strong supporters of 鈥榮tay and defend鈥�. We would stay again until we felt it was too dangerous.鈥�