After nearly 3 weeks on edge, evacuation alert for Fort St. James rescinded
Many residents left, though the community was not under evacuation order
After nearly three weeks, a community on edge can breathe a sigh of relief.
An evacuation alert has been rescinded for Fort St.James, B.C., as the threat from the Shovel Lake fire has diminished.
The Shovel Lake fire, which had been burning since July 27, is now considered "held."
"I think it's probably a sense of relief for everybody within the municipality," said Fort St. James mayor Rob McDougall.
"I know for businesses — both our downtown commercial core, the logging industry, our mills — I think it's had a big impact."
McDougall said some business owners told him they lost around 70 per cent of their normal business activity.
Though the community of around 1,000 people was not under evacuation order, McDougall said around 500 residents chose to leave out of an abundance of caution.
"When you see a fire of this size bearing down on your community or neighbouring community, it's unsettling to say the least," he said.
Historic buildings threatened
Fort St. James National Historic Site is home to Canada's largest collection of fur-trade-era wood buildings — some structures are 130 years old.
When the evacuation alert was first issued, maintenance teams from Parks Canada set up a sprinkler system on the roofs of the buildings, and wet the grounds to prevent any sparks from flaming up in the park.
"The firefighters have done an excellent job of keeping the fire behind the containment lines," said MacDougall, before thanking volunteers and workers who supported the community.
While the evacuation alert has been rescinded, conditions in the region continue to be dry, and residents are advised to remain vigilant as the fire hazard remains high to extreme.
A campfire ban also remains in place.
Earlier this week the B.C. government has extended the provincial state of emergency because of wildfires that have now burned more area than any other season on record.
As of Tuesday, more than 12,984 square kilometres of the province had burned, pushing past the previous record set just one year earlier.
With files from Nicole Oud