Poor internet connection? Access a low-bandwidth, accessible version of this story on CBC Lite.
Rob Fraser is confident he made the right decision.
On Friday night the mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality — which includes Fort Nelson — in consultation with the B.C. Wildfire Service, ordered the evacuation of his entire community.
The same order was given to members of the Fort Nelson First Nation, affecting an estimated 4,700 people who were told to start driving south to Fort St. John, nearly 400 kilometres away.
The fear at the time was that the fast-growing Parker Lake wildfire, sparked after wind blew a tree into a power line, could quickly spread into the community, located near B.C.’s border with Yukon and the Northwest Territories, about 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver and about 800 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
As difficult as it’s been for his friends and neighbours to live out of hotel rooms and RVs hundreds of kilometres away, Fraser knows things could have been a lot worse if not for favourable wind and the work of wildfire crews.
“There could have been a whole lot more damage than there was,” he said in a public meeting in Fort St. John on Wednesday afternoon.
“There were predictions it [the fire] would be in town on Monday, and it isn’t. … We’re grateful for that.”
He’s also grateful potential high winds forecast for the week didn’t materialize, giving crews the chance to set up more defences and prepare to push back against the fire, rather than simply hope it doesn’t come closer.
The B.C. Wildfire Service said early on Wednesday that there was potential for gusty winds to fan “aggressive” fire behaviour in the area.
But the latest report says overall conditions are favourable for firefighting, with 19 helicopters and 88 wildfire service personnel assigned to the blaze, in addition to municipal firefighters from the region.
Fire officials said Wednesday that cooler temperatures along with higher humidity should reduce the likelihood of intense fire activity.
There’s also potential for light rain, which would further lower the risk of the fire spreading closer to the town.
A fire camp located at the Fort Nelson airport is also expected to be operational by Saturday, further bolstering the fight.
Fraser had nothing but praise for fire crews.
“They’ve left their homes and come to our home to help us out,” he said, thanking them “from the bottom of my heart.”
Dry conditions fuel flames
Aside from Parker Lake, crews are also monitoring the Patry Creek fire, a burn that started in 2023 that has grown significantly after reigniting earlier this year.
In a video update posted 10 p.m Tuesday, BCWS fire behaviour specialist Ben Boghean said the fire had experienced an “aggressive rate of spread” through Monday into Tuesday, bringing it to 25 kilometres north of Fort Nelson.
As wildfire threatens Fort Nelson, B.C., from the west, there are also much larger fires burning to the east of the town. They’re known as holdover fires — ones that never completely went out last year. Chad Pawson has more on those fires.
The fire, which went dormant over the winter before re-emerging earlier this year, was measured at around 465 square kilometres as of Tuesday evening and had been upgraded to a wildfire of note, defined by the service as a fire that is “highly visible” or poses “a potential threat to public safety.”
Boghean said as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the fire did not pose a risk to Fort Nelson but warned “that can rapidly change if the area receives strong northerly winds and continuous dry conditions.”
“Although these conditions are favourable for the short term, the threat of extreme fire behaviour returning to the region will remain,” he said.
Though it is not unusual for these “holdover” or “zombie” fires to smoulder again in the spring, the dry conditions in the northeast have made these returning fires particularly volatile, adding another layer of complexity to what is expected to be a difficult wildfire season ahead.
B.C. is experiencing a record-low snowpack and drought has plagued much of the province — especially northeastern B.C. — for months.
Concerns over water use
Due to the risk of wildfire, the emergency operations centre for the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality has had to set up in a remote location south of the community.
In an update posted online, it says RCMP have established checkpoints along highways into the community in order to reduce traffic in the area.
For residents who did not evacuate their homes in Fort Nelson, the municipality has issued a warning over water use. It’s urging people to limit their use of sprinklers and hoses, saying running additional water sources takes “critical resources away from where it is needed most” on the front lines of the fire.
“If access to water diminishes in the community, so too does the ability for firefighters to continue the work they are doing on our behalf,” the notice says.
Doig River fire still close to community
Meanwhile, the Doig River First Nation posted its own update on a wildfire that forced the evacuation of their community, around 40 kilometres northeast of Fort St. John, on Tuesday.
The update, posted to Facebook, says the fire is still within 1.5 kilometres of the community — home to around 335 people — and was still at risk at rapidly growing due to volatile weather conditions.
“While we have made some progress on the south side of the fire, we are expecting the wind to change direction over the next few days which could push fire activity back towards the community,” the update says.
Supports for evacuees
Members of Doig River First Nation in need of support have been directed to the emergency support centre in Fort St. John.
That’s the same location that more than 4,700 evacuees from Fort Nelson were initially directed to on Friday, travelling about 380 kilometres southeast by road to get lodging and support.
City spokesperson Ryan Harvey said Wednesday that the community, home to about 21,500 people, is supporting an estimated 3,000 evacuees from surrounding communities.
That high number means hotels are nearly full — and some evacuees have been asked to leave as hotels look to honour pre-made bookings.
Those who are able have been encouraged to head to nearby Dawson Creek or Chetwynd, or travel farther to Prince George, about another 440 kilometres south by road. That city says it has received 231 evacuees.
The province has also established a 400-room camp in Sunset Prairie, 60 kilometres by road from Fort St. John, in dorm-style accommodation.
Smoke raises health risks for some
Meanwhile. Environment Canada has posted notices for parts of B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories warning about wildfire smoke.
Forecasters say the fine particles in smoke pose health risks and are more likely to affect seniors, pregnant women, people who smoke, infants and young children, as well as those with chronic illnesses.
“Those who are more likely to be impacted should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors or seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms,” the notices say.