An evacuation order affecting 482 parcels in the Canim Lake South to Mahood Lake area was rescinded by the Cariboo Regional District Saturday, July 24.
The CRD has downgraded the order, issued on July 14, to an alert. The alert covers 26,395 hectares.
Residents are allowed to return to the area but are urged to watch for livestock and wildlife on roads.
“Wildfires remain active and firefighting activities continue in the area,” the CRD said in an update. “It is important for residents to stay out of active wildfire areas. Interfering in an active fire area will result in crews ceasing ground and air operations potentially endangering nearby properties.”
Since these areas remain on evacuation alert, residents must also be prepared in case the area receives a future evacuation order on short notice. Local governments may not have time to go door-to-door should a new evacuation order be issued.
CRD Chair Margo Wagner, who also represents Forest Grove-Canim Lake, said in her newsletter to constituents that this is “the news we’ve all been waiting for.”
BC Wildfire Service said there was minimal fire behavior Friday with most of the fire burning inside the existing perimeter, and crews continued to monitor the fire overnight. The fire is mapped at 2,673 hectares.
BCWS said crews have made progress establishing containment lines around the north and west sides. A 10-foot blackline where the fire has burnt to the guard on the north and west side is completed and crews will continue to mop up and patrol this area. Black-lining is the process of removing fuels near the guard with small planned ignitions operations that reinforces the guard.
On the south side, heavy equipment has established a contingency guard and crews and heavy equipment are now working directly on the fire perimeter with hose systems and water. On the east side of the fire, crews will also be working directly on the fire perimeter South of MacNeil Lake. Structure protection will continue to be demobilized today where it is no longer required.
More to come.
