From their acreage at Soda Creek, Diane and Dave Dunaway have seen two nearby train derailments, lightning fires, grass fires and serious wildfires across the river 鈥� but not once did they evacuate their home.

The current wildfire situation, which has led to a state of emergency across the province, has been no different.

In a recent post on social media, Diane explained that the decision to stay is not one made on a whim, but backed by decades of sustainability and resilience that one must have in order to live on rural and remote properties. It鈥檚 simply called 鈥渃ountry living,鈥� she said.

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鈥淲e鈥檝e lived here for 26 plus years without fire protection, garbage or recycling pick-up, fibre optics, pizza delivery, nor reliable cell service,鈥� Diane said. 鈥淟iving in a somewhat remote location necessitates independence, self-reliance, and a sense of accountability.鈥�

Even three years ago, when a raging wildfire came right up to their fence line, and burned 122 hectares over months of time, the pair remained put on the property in the community they鈥檝e lived in for 26 years.

Diane and Dave鈥檚 decision to forego evacuating this and defend their property isn鈥檛 an uncommon decision in the Cariboo.

In fact, most ranchers in the area have stayed behind to protect their livelihood 鈥� a move that鈥檚 brought controversy and criticism.

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The Dunaways and other neighbours 鈥� a minimum 2.5 km drive away 鈥� aren鈥檛 standing by passively and watching the fires, though.

鈥淣eighbours have pieced together a comprehensive collection of fire fighting equipment from hoses, backpack tanks, and shovels to backhoes and truck-mounted tanks with high-powered pumps,鈥� Diane said.

鈥淲e have an informal valley-wide spark watch in effect that includes calling our other neighbours across the river if we spot something they might not see coming from the hills above.鈥�

Their preparedness includes plans for the worst-case scanrio and for the long haul 鈥� but also have emergency bags by the door if things become unsafe.

鈥淣earby Dunlevy Ranch has limitless gravity-fed irrigation water that doesn鈥檛 need electricity to gather pressure,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur fallback plan is to park in the middle of a hay field and surround ourselves with sprinklers. And of course there鈥檚 the river.鈥�

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With a self-sustaining farm still running in full force 鈥� with a garden, honey bees and all 鈥� as well as freezers with generators and fuel for back up, Diane has one simple request: respect their decision to stay.

鈥淲e are not 鈥榙efying鈥� evacuation orders; we are using our collective years of experience along with cooperation to survive. There鈥檚 nothing cavalier about our decision to stay home,鈥� she said.

鈥淚n our estimation, at this time we feel safe and don鈥檛 feel that we鈥檙e endangering anyone.鈥�

According to the BC Cattlemen鈥檚 Association, government agencies at working with the ranchers who remain on their properties.

The RCMP have not made any arrests of those who remained in evacuation zones. Legally, there鈥檚 nothing stopping those older than 18 from staying.