Historic Barkerville is under evacuation alert due to wildfires in the region

An evacuation warning is in effect in the historic gold mining town and major regional tourist attraction of Barkerville due to wildfires in the region.

On July 21, an evacuation warning was issued by the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for 431 parcels in the Barkerville area. The warning covers 62,488 hectares and includes the historic town and park of Barkerville.

The historic city had already closed its gates to tourists that day as smoke from the wildfires hung in the air and equipment was being moved on site to install sprinkler systems to protect the buildings.

The tourist attraction will monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis, but advises anyone planning a visit to check the website barkerville.ca to see if the facility has reopened to the public.

A column of smoke from a nearby wildfire is visible from the historic town, but the town is not in immediate danger at this time, said Stewart Cawood, public programs and media manager for Barkeville Historic Town & Park.

Barkerville is a restored historic town originally founded during the Gold Rush and was once the largest town in the province. It is located approximately 85 km east of the city of Quesnel.

The CRD said the evacuation alert was issued as a precautionary measure and is intended to prepare all people living in the area to evacuate should the need arise. They said the historic town, a major regional tourist attraction, had already scaled back some of its programs prior to the alert due to wildfire activity in the area.

Bowron Lake Provincial Park is not included in the warning zone.

The CRD said that while efforts were being made to give as much lead time as possible, conditions could change rapidly and people in the region were advised to be prepared.

“Today’s weather conditions will be challenging,” said Gerald Pinchbeck, information officer for the CRD Emergency Operations Center. He said low relative humidity, high temperatures and winds in the region will lead to high fire activity.

The British Columbia wildfire map currently shows 11 fires in the region.

For information on preparing, visit: https://www.cariboord.ca/en/emergency-and-protective-services/preparing-for-an-emergency.aspx

While the warning is in effect, people should prepare in advance for an evacuation order.

Have a plan for transporting any family members or coworkers out of the area in case an evacuation order is issued for the area.
Pack a take-away bag for each member of your household so you have essentials on hand for a quick departure.

Pack clothes, ready-to-eat foods, toiletries, medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (e.g. insurance), items needed for the immediate care of your loved one, and, if you wish, mementos (photographs, etc.).
Make sure any loved ones or pets are prepared to leave. Get comfort items (blankets, stuffed animals, etc.) for your loved ones to make an evacuation less stressful.

Provide all necessary carriers and leashes to ensure safe transport of your pets.
Move pets and livestock to a safe area if they cannot be evacuated. Make sure water and food are available.
Keep the fuel tanks of private vehicles full in case of an order.
Make sure you have accommodation for your family if possible. An evacuee reception centre will be provided if needed. Building or renters insurance may be able to provide more support than ESS.
If you are evacuated, do not turn off your natural gas supply. For more information, visit fortisbc.com/forestfires.
Check reliable news sources for evacuation orders and reception centre locations, as well as the CRD’s channels on Facebook and cariboord.ca.
If you are under an evacuation alert or have had to leave your home due to an emergency, please register yourself for emergency support services.

You must sign up for the BC Services Card app to access the self-registration tool that reduces wait times for evacuees and assists with the transfer process. https://ess.gov.bc.ca/
More information will be released as it becomes available. Please visit the CRD Emergency Operations Facebook page and the CRD website at cariboord.ca/EOC. For more information, call the CRD Emergency Information Line at 1-866-759-4977 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily).

Residents are asked to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text message, call or email about evacuation alerts and orders.