B.C. has lifted non-essential travel restrictions for all but one community.
Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said the emergency order restricting non-essential travel 鈥渉ad the effect required鈥� and as of Wednesday morning (Aug. 23) the travel restrictions were lifted for 麻豆精选, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon, but non-essential travel restrictions remain for West 麻豆精选.
The McDougall Creek wildfire in West 麻豆精选 is an estimated 12,270 hectares.
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Ma said because of the travel order, thousands of hotel rooms were made available for evacuees and fire crews who required housing. She expressed her 鈥渄eepest gratitude鈥� to those everyone who cancelled their travel plans, as well as to the tourism industry.
鈥淲orking with our local government and First Nation partners, we continue to place in people into the accommodations that are now available and we are also blocked booking additional available rooms in the event that they are needed.鈥�
She added that visitors should be thoughtful about where they go, and that communities such as Lake Country and the Shuswap are indicating that now is not the time to come visit.
It was on Saturday that B.C. issued an order banning non-essential travel to six fire-affected communities. That order came the day after Premier David Eby declared a provincial state of emergency.
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Ma and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston provided an update Wednesday on the current wildfire situation. They were joined by BC Wildfire Service operations director Cliff Chapman and other officials from the two ministries.
She added that more than 25,000 people remain on evacuation order and another 37,000 are on alert.
鈥淭hat is 25,000 People who have been forced out of their home due to wildfire and 37,000 more people who must be prepared to leave their home at a moment鈥檚 notice.鈥�
It come as evacuation orders and alerts are set to be downgraded in 麻豆精选, West 麻豆精选 and Lake Country.
READ MORE: Wildfire evacuation orders/alerts to be downgraded in Central Okanagan
Parts of B.C. did receive some rain in the last 24 hours, but Ralston said British Columbians should remain prepared.
He said said that while wildfires have dominated much of the province鈥檚 attention over the last few days, B.C. is still experience a very serious drought. Much of the province is 鈥渧ery, very dry鈥� and still at risk of fires.
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READ MORE: Eby condemns 鈥榙isaster tourism鈥�, equipment tampering as B.C. wildfires burn
lauren.collins@blackpress.ca
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