Historic B.C. gold rush town to reopen after wildfire threat

The British Columbia golden unreserved municipality of Barkerville is group to reopen Friday aft a adjacent wildfire forced residents and visitors to evacuate nan region earlier this month.

The historical municipality says successful a news merchandise that its programs will resume, though guests whitethorn spot “elevated smoke” and its campgrounds, cottages and impermanent houses will stay closed until astir mid-August.

It says group are invited to make arrangements to enactment astatine nan Historic St. George Hotel, a backstage section business, aliases successful neighbouring communities that person besides “faced economical challenges pinch nan caller removal orders.”

The Antler Creek wildfire triggered an removal bid connected July 21 for nan tourer town, nan adjacent organization of Wells and for nan celebrated Bowron Lake Provincial Park.

Evacuation alerts were lifted Monday, though nan 143-square-kilometre blaze is still burning retired of control.

Bowinn Ma, B.C.’s emergency guidance minister, says nan state is still encouraging group to sojourn but is reminding travellers to beryllium prepared by looking up nan location forecast, roadworthy conditions, road closures and removal alerts.

“If you are travelling by car, it is important to person an emergency kit successful your car, person capable water, food, other clothing and emergency gear,” she said, noting that wildfire behaviour is unpredictable and conditions tin alteration quickly.

Barkerville’s reopening comes aft caller rains and cooler temperatures helped dampen immoderate wildfire activity crossed nan province.

Trending Now

In nan north, conditions person improved to nan constituent that nan state is lifting campfire bans successful nan Prince George and Northwest occurrence centres starting Thursday.

But Cliff Chapman, nan head of provincial operations for nan BC Wildfire Service, said Tuesday that forecasts propose a hot, barren shape returning to nan southbound by this weekend.

Many of nan astir 340 wildfires burning passim B.C. are concentrated successful nan southeast, wherever hundreds of residents of nan Slocan area were forced retired of their homes owed to nan danger.

This study by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2024.