A full backcountry closure, which was anticipated to be in effect until September 5th, has now been lifted for the Cariboo Fire Centre.
BC Wildfire Service Chief Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the restriction was the first since 2003.
“We were doing that basically to use every tool we had to prevent human caused fires. People literally weren’t allowed to use lakes, recreational use was not allowed in Crown areas; it was quite a significant move. We don’t want people to get complacent just as a result of us having taking this off. There is still hazard out there but it’s to the point that we feel can reign this in this in from a prevention perspective.”
Skrepnek says there are currently 49 active wildfires burning within the Cariboo Fire Centre, and there will be buffer zones drawn around them.
A off-road vehicle ban still remains in effect.
The Cariboo Fire Centre stretches from Loon Lake near Clinton in the south, to the Cottonwood River near Quesnel in the north, and from Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in the west, to Wells Gray Provincial Park in the east.
– with files from Rebecca Kelli, My Cariboo Now
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