Barkerville, Wells and Bowron Lake area evacuated

The Cariboo Regional District Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) issued an evacuation order Sunday afternoon citing the rapid growth over the weekend of the Antler Creek wildfire in B.C.’s central Interior. 

The emergency order encompasses 431 parcels in the Barkerville Area, covering 62,488 hectares, including the historic Barkerville town — the largest living history museum in western North America. The EOC has also extended the order for 33 parcels in the Bowron area, covering about 30,567 hectares to the east of Wells and part of the Bowron Lake Provincial Park. 

Earlier on Sunday, the District of Wells also declared a state of local emergency for the entire district, which is about 180 kilometres southeast of Prince George. Residents must evacuate immediately, the order says.

In the order signed by Mayor Ed Colemon, the wildfire is described as a “significant threat” to the health, safety and welfare of the community.

Local police and other agencies are coordinating the evacuation process, according to the order.

Coleman told CBC News that about 1,000 people are impacted by the order, including 218 Wells residents, roughly 600 tourists visiting the Barkerville historic site and Bowron Lake, as well as around 100 workers from the mines in the area. 

The mayor says the fire is about five kilometres from Barkerville. The Antler Creek blaze is estimated to be about 13.5-square-kilometres as of Sunday afternoon.

Anyone in the affected area must evacuate west immediately via Highway 26 to the emergency support services centre in Quesnel.

According to DriveBC, the highway is closed for all eastbound traffic but remains open for evacuees travelling west to leave the emergency order area.

Highway 1 closed due to Shetland Creek fire

B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says aggressive fire behaviour on the eastern flank of the Shetland Creek wildfire has closed the Trans-Canada Highway from Cache Creek to Spences Bridge. 

“Due to the concern of access and egress routes being compromised, personnel working in the Venables Valley area will be pulling back to safety zones,” the wildfire service said in a social media post, adding the highway has been closed in the interest of first responders. 

DriveBC says…