Image Credit: CKPG News

By Dylana Kneeshaw

EVACUATION ALERT

Barkerville Heritage Trust keeping close eye on nearby wildfire activity

Jul 11, 2024 | 7:00 PM

BARKERVILLE, B.C. — The Barkerville Heritage Trust says an out-of-control wildfire near the popular tourist destination and historic community is concerning.

According to information from the BC Wildfire Service, the Cornish Mountain Wildfire north of the District of Wells and the historic village of Barkerville has grown since Wednesday morning (July 10), which resulted in an evacuation alert being issued for 340 properties in the Cariboo region.

The fire is still classified as out of control as of Thursday (July 11) and Barkerville Heritage Trust’s Chair, Al Richmond, says the community was expecting BC Wildfire crews to be back working on the fire Thursday after firefighters were pulled off the scene Wednesday evening in response to the increased fire behaviour and high winds.

Richmond says Barkerville is making sure the nearby campgrounds, heritage site staff and visitors are aware of the evacuation alert.

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“We are fortunate in Barkerville that some fire mitigation work has been done around there in the past few years, so it’s a little less threatening than it might have been four or five years ago,” he explains. “But we’re still very concerned and paramountly concerned about our visitors and our staff to make sure things are safe. We want to protect the site — it’s unique, it’s something that you can’t recreate and it’s something that we’re very passionate about.”

Meantime, the nearby District of Wells declared a state of local emergency late Wednesday night and a map with current information on evacuation orders and alerts for Wells can be viewed on the District’s website.