Summerland wildfire livestock ‘hero’ stopped after breaking the rules

A man who has been rescuing animals from the Summerland wildfire evacuation zone in British Columbia has been informed he can no longer continue his work due to breaking the rules. Kazimir Nowlin, an animal rescuer, began efforts on Friday to evacuate animals and livestock from the Bald Range fire. On Friday evening, they rescued four horses in the area of the fire and transported them to Oliver.

They later rescued three or four more horses and brought them to OK Falls. Carolyn Dobler, a rancher from Stonewall Ranch, stated that Nowlin and his team saved all of his animals. Nowlin mentioned they continued to rescue animals as needed, but then they were informed they needed permits to enter evacuated areas. He stated he was told to join the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team (ALERT) to assist with rescuing and evacuating animals and livestock during disasters.

However, Nowlin was informed on Tuesday night that he could no longer work with ALERT as he was violating their rules regarding filming animals and homes inside evacuation zones and posting this content on social media. Daryl Meyers, president of ALERT, said Nowlin broke the rules by entering "Red Zones" and recording video, leading to his expulsion.

The RCMP had requested ALERT to have Nowlin stand down due to a complaint. Nowlin expressed disappointment, as they were doing what needed to be done, but the leadership at ALERT refused to take horses to a sanctuary. Nowlin applied for a permit on Saturday, but has not yet received a response.