Global Courant
The Peace River Regional District says residents of 14 properties in rural areas north of Fort St. John can return home after being ordered to leave due to a record-breaking wildfire, though the situation remains “unstable.”
It follows the lifting of another evacuation order for property east of Highway 97, but the district says people should be prepared to leave soon.
The Donnie Creek fire has grown in recent days to become the largest wildfire in British Columbia history, covering more than 5,500 square miles.
An update from the BC Wildfire Service says the wildfire has accounted for about 62 percent of the total area that has burned in the province so far this season.
Wildfires have charred nearly 8,700 square miles since April 1, eclipsing the 20-year average of about 162 square miles for the same time of year.
A fire that forced the closure of a major highway connecting communities on Vancouver Island’s west coast has since been declared under control, and the province says it is on track to reopen to single-lane interchangeable traffic this weekend.
A statement from the Department of Transportation says crews have cleared the stretch of Highway 4 east of Port Alberni of trees and debris that had fallen over steep terrain, and work is underway to install temporary safety measures.
It says those measures include a concrete barrier and protective “mesh curtains” hung by cranes to prevent debris from falling on the route.
A bypass on a side road remains open and local airlines have added flights to meet demand for travel to and from cut-off communities, including Tofino and Ucluelet.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 19, 2023.
