7.33°C Vancouver

May 23, 2024 7:08 PM - The Canadian Press

B.C. mayor hopes wildfire evacuees can return to Fort Nelson early next week

Share On
b-c-mayor-hopes-wildfire-evacuees-can-return-to-fort-nelson-early-next-week
Rob Fraser says the "imminent risk" posed by the Parker Lake fire has been reduced, and officials are focused on rolling out a phased approach to residents' return.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The mayor of the regional municipality that includes Fort Nelson, B.C., that was evacuated due to a threatening wildfire says local officials are pushing for a Monday or Tuesday deadline to start allowing about 4,700 residents home after nearly two weeks.

Rob Fraser says the "imminent risk" posed by the Parker Lake fire has been reduced, and officials are focused on rolling out a phased approach to residents' return.

He says in a video posted late Wednesday that some doctors had returned to the community along with grocery staff who were restocking shelves.

Fraser says water, hydro and hydroelectric services were operational, and crews with FortisBC were in town examining the natural gas company's infrastructure.

The mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality says officials were planning to reach out to the operators of "phase three" businesses this weekend.

Fraser says he was "extremely happy" to start thinking about an end date to the evacuation that began on May 10 as strong winds pushed the Parker Lake blaze to within about two kilometres of Fort Nelson.

"If it keeps going the way it's been going, we'll be making a call here on the weekend, I'm pretty sure of that," he said of the decision on when to lift the evacuation order.

Fraser said the Parker Lake fire was smouldering but appeared fairly "dormant."

"The wildfire crews continue to work away, any place that it's getting close to the edge, so they can be real comfortable they've got good containment and that it's wet along the edges," he said in Wednesday's video.

An update from the BC Wildfire Service on Thursday says conditions remained favourable for firefighting, although temperatures were rising and relative humidity was expected to drop. Winds gusts up to 30 kilometres an hour were also in the forecast, the service says.

Fraser said the Northern Rockies municipality is working with officials in Taylor, B.C., about 20 kilometres north of Fort St. John, where many evacuees have been staying, to set up a meeting for Fort Nelson residents ahead of their return home.

"We'll talk about the plan to return, what that looks like," he said, adding local officials were also in touch with the leadership at nearby Fort Nelson First Nation that was also evacuated.

Latest news

canada-pledges-7-million-in-relief-for-caribbean-nations-devastated-by-hurricane-melissa
CanadaOct 30, 2025

Canada pledges $7 million in relief for Caribbean nations devastated by Hurricane Melissa

The federal government has announced $7 million in humanitarian aid to assist Caribbean nations struggling to recover from the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa. Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, said the funding includes $5 million for emergency health and relief operations through humanitarian organizations, and an additional $2 million to the World Food Programme to support food distribution in Jamaica. Sarai said Canada is also ready to send supplies from its emergency stockpile through the Red Cross if requested by affected countries. The government is
two-arrested-after-gunfire-damages-surrey-home-police-probe-possible-extortion-link
CanadaOct 30, 2025

Two Arrested After Gunfire Damages Surrey Home; Police Probe Possible Extortion Link

Surrey Police Service has arrested two men following an overnight shooting that damaged a home in the area of 56 Avenue and King George Boulevard early Thursday morning. Officers were called to the scene around 2 a.m. on October 30 after reports of gunfire. When they arrived, police confirmed that the exterior of a residence had been struck by bullets. Several people were inside the home at the time, but no one was injured. Frontline officers later located a suspect vehicle nearby and arrested two men, who remain in custody as the investigation continues. The SPS Frontline Investigative Suppor
trump-administration-cuts-u-s-refugee-admissions-to-7-500-with-priority-for-white-south-africans
WorldOct 30, 2025

Trump administration cuts U.S. refugee admissions to 7,500, with priority for white South Africans

The Trump administration has announced a sharp reduction in the number of refugees the United States will accept in the coming fiscal year, setting a cap of 7,500 – the lowest in the country’s modern history. A notice published Thursday in the Federal Register confirmed the decision, which also prioritizes applications from white South Africans, a move critics say signals a major shift in U.S. refugee policy. The new ceiling marks a drastic decline from the 125,000 refugee limit set under President Joe Biden’s administration. The White House offered no detailed explanation for the cut, s
tripat-rajinder-bajwa-resigns-from-punjab-assembly-select-committee-on-sacred-texts-bill
IndiaOct 30, 2025

Tripat Rajinder Bajwa resigns from Punjab Assembly select committee on sacred texts bill

Senior Congress leader and former Punjab cabinet minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa has resigned from the 15-member select committee of the Punjab Legislative Assembly formed to review the “Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Sacred Religious Texts Bill, 2025.” According to official sources, Bajwa’s resignation was submitted to the Speaker and has been formally accepted by the Assembly. Party insiders said the veteran leader stepped down citing procedural and political differences related to the committee’s functioning. Some accounts also attribute the decision to his health condit
alberta-students-walk-out-gather-at-legislature-over-teachers-back-to-work-bill
FeaturedOct 30, 2025

Alberta students walk out, gather at legislature over teachers’ back-to-work bill

Students across Alberta left their classrooms on Thursday to rally at the provincial legislature, protesting the government’s decision to force striking teachers back to work. Many wore red clothing and carried homemade signs to show solidarity with educators. The walkouts, coordinated through social media, spread to several schools as students voiced frustration with what they described as an attack on teachers’ rights. The demonstrations followed the provincial government’s move to fast-track a back-to-work bill through the legislature earlier this week. Premier Danielle Smith’s gove

Related News