Per an information bulletin issued by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development and the BC Wildfire Service, an area restriction order for Crown land in the vicinity of the Shovel Lake wildfire is effective immediately.
The Shovel Lake fire, which is burning approximately 25 kilometres northwest of Fraser Lake, currently covers around 2,000 hectares. The BC Wildfire Service has 75 personal on site today, being supported by 17 pieces of heavy equipments, five helicopters and multiple air tankers.
According to the information bulletin, the area restriction was put in place to protect public safety due to the wildfire’s rapid rate of spread, as well as to avoid any public interference with the fire suppression efforts.
The area restriction will remain in place until noon on Sept. 15, 2018, or until the order is rescinded.
Under this order and the Wildfire Act, an individual must not enter or remain in the Shovel Lake wildfire restricted area without prior written authorization. This may come from an official designated for the purposes of the Wildfire Act.
Multiple exceptions, such as travelling to or from a principle residence that is not under an evacuation order, as well travelling to or from a leased property for the purposes of accessing a secondary residence or recreational property that is not under an evacuation order.
Additionally, an individual may enter the area if they are travelling as a person acting in an official capacity, travelling for the purpose of supporting the ongoing wildfire suppression, using the highway as defined in the Transportation Act, or engaging in agricultural activities pertaining to livestock management on private or leased property.
The area restriction order applies to all Crown land outlined on the map that is available online at: http://ow.ly/X8Mr30lbPR9
