After 47-hundred people were scattered across the north for nearly three weeks due to the Parker Lake and Patry Creek wildfires, Fort Nelson residents are allowed to return home.
The Evacuation Order for the community and surrounding First Nation was rescinded as of 8 o’clock this morning (Monday).
Northern Rockies Regional Municipalities Mayor Rob Fraser told Vista Radio a meeting he attended in Taylor on Friday helped put in the framework for this to happen.
“The fire is holding in place and any of the places it was burning, it was burning in the black so the edges are not getting any bigger. With that, and all the work we have been doing in advance to make sure the critical infrastructure is up to speed and all the critical services are in place, all of that occurred over the weekend.”
The Parker Lake wildfire destroyed four homes and damaged six other properties in the area.
Officials say the evacuation alert will remain in effect, so people should be ready to move out again at short notice.
In addition, Fraser noted medical services won’t be in peak operation for a while as one-third of Emergency department services at the hospital will be resuming.
“The hospital will still take a little time for it to come up to full service and so we are asking people who may have underlying medical conditions or who may feel that they need that medical hospital care right away within the community to hold off until we get the hospital operating at its maximum.”
The Patry Creek blaze, north of Fort Nelson is shrinking in size but continues to burn at 64,372 hectares – it was previously over 73-thousand hectares.
Something going on in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
