Evacuation of Holy Transfiguration Hermitage in Lone Butte, BC (Updated)

With forest fires threatening, Fathers Gregory and Samuel and Brother Moses evacuated Holy Transfiguration Hermitage at Bridge Lake on Saturday night and arrived safely but very exhausted in Cranbrook on Sunday afternoon, July 16.

The winds tripled the size of the Ashcroft fire over the last couple days and it is now 423 square kilometres and heading towards the hermitage. They will be heading to stay with Fr Lawrence Reinheimer at his new home in Wynndel. They are requesting that people pray but please do not come to see them.

Please pray for God's protection on the Holy Transfiguration Hermitage, the Cariboo region, and all of the BC communities facing these raging wildfires. More than 37,000 people have now evacuated. Thank God our dear monk brothers are now out of harm's way.

Update on 20 July

Fr Samuel and Brother Moses have arrived back at the hermitage as things have settled down a little on the Ashcroft fire, which is now 30% under control. They have left Fr Gregory with Fr Larry until the evacuation order is lifted for 100 Mile House.

All is well at the hermitage, with blue skies reported today. They are busy making candles and carrying on with their work until things change. The monks wish to greatly thank all for their prayers, and ask people to please continue to pray as this may only be a lull. There are fires to the west (100 Mile House), to the east (Little Fort) and to the south (Ashcroft/Loon Lake) — all 30km away from their location.

Some people have enquired about sending financial help. While they are a self-supporting hermitage with their ongoing needs being met by their candle-making income, donations for the costs of the new hermitage and future building needs would be appreciated.

Anyone wishing to help with this can send a donation directly to them at:

Holy Transfiguration Hermitage
7568 High Country Road
Lone Butte, BC  V0K 1X2

Update on 28 July

The monks have all now returned to the hermitage which is no longer under threat from fires. They have conveyed their thanks for all the prayers that have been said on their behalf.

Update on 30 July

The fire situation for the Cariboo and Thompson Nicola area around the hermitage has now suddenly greatly deteriorated. It would appear that the fire threat has regained its momentum and an evacuation order has been given today for the Green Lake area which is only about 12km from the hermitage as a new fire started a couple days ago. The monks are now under an evacuation alert so they report that they are once again packed and ready to evacuate if needed. Please continue to pray!