The Cariboo Regional District has issued evacuation orders for the Eliguk Lake area, Townsend Creek area and Pelican Lake Area Tuesday evening, July 11 due to wildfires.
Pelican Lake Area Evacuation Order
At 9:15 p.m., an evacuation order was issued for 644 parcels in the Pelican Lake Area by Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). This order covers 112,208 hectares and includes the community of Titetown, north of Nazko, and was previously covered by the Pelican Lake Area Alert issued on July 10, 2023.
A portion of the Pelican Lake Area Alert remains in effect near the junction of Batnuni Road and Nazko Road.
Due to immediate danger to life safety due to fire, members of the RCMP or other groups will be expediting this action. The evacuation route is:
Evacuation route:
Drive east on Batnuni Road;
Continue straight (south) onto Blackwater Road;
At the junction of Blackwater Road and Nazko Road, turn left to stay on Blackwater Road / North Fraser Drive and continue until you arrival in Quesnel.
Eliguk Lake Area Evacuation Order
Eleven parcels in the Eliguk Lake Area are under an evacuation order issued by Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
Announced at 7:40 p.m., the evacuation order covers 12,104 hectares. The order area includes lands to the east of the Gatcho Lake Area Evacuation Order and north of the communities of Ulkatcho and Anahim Lake.
Due to immediate danger to life safety due to fire, members of the RCMP or other groups will be expediting this action. The evacuation route is:
Evacuation route:
Using available Forestry Roads, drive towards the Dean River Road;
Turn Southeast (Left) on the Dean River Road;
At the junction of the Dean River Road with Highway 20, turn EAST (left) onto Highway 20;
Follow Highway 20 east until you arrive in Williams Lake.
Evacuees can access Emergency Support Services (ESS) by self-registering using the Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA) tool at https://ess.gov.bc.ca/. Evacuees can also call 250-267-1154 to register.
Three parcels in the Townsend Creek Area Order #2 are also under an evacuation order pursuant to the BC Emergency Program Act, issued by Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
Townsend Creek Area Evacuation Order
Issued at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, this order covers 16,677 hectares. This evacuation alert was previously covered by the Townsend Creek Area Alert issued on July 10, 2023 at 6 p.m. for an area adjacent to the western side of the Townsend Creek Area Evacuation Order issued on July 9, 2023, notes the CRD.
Due to immediate danger to life safety due to fire, members of the RCMP or other groups will be expediting this action. The evacuation route is:
Evacuation route:
Turn south onto Lavington Road
Continue on south Lavington Road, and continue straight (south) onto Tzenzaicut Lake Road
Follow Tzanzaicut Lake Road east, and turn left (north) onto Garner Road
Turn left (north) onto West Fraser Road
Follow West Fraser Road north until you reach Quesnel
Evacuees can access Emergency Support Services (ESS) by self-registering using the Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA) tool at https://ess.gov.bc.ca/. Evacuees can also call 250-983-3638 to register.
Wildfire Update for July 11
In its daily report released earlier in the day Tuesday, the Cariboo Fire Centre said there are 33 wildfires in the region as of July 11.
Breaking the CFC into three regions there are 13 active in the Central Zone and of those five are out of control, four are being held and four are under control.
In the Quesnel Zone there are 18 active fires, one of note and four have evacuation orders or alerts place on them by the Cariboo Regional District.
Evacuation orders
Issued July 9 for the Townsend Creek area impacting eight parcels, the order covers 3,487 hectares in addition to Tuesday evening’s additional evacuation order.
The Townsend Creek wildfire is 921 hectares as of July 11, and is located 2.5 km east of Margaret Lake.
BCWS initial attack and unit crews are assisted by local contract firefighters.
On July 10 airtankers laid retardant and helicopters assisted with fire suppression efforts.
Heavy equipment is onsite as well as structure protection.
Fire suppression activity continued overnight July 10 with a heavy focus on structure protection.
The wildfire is within 200 metres of outlying agricultural facilities, due to intense overnight structure protection efforts, no structures have been lost.
Issued July 9 for the Gatcho Lake area, the evacuation order cover 10 parcels over 24,055 hectares in addition to Tuesday evening’s order. The fire is being actioned by the Prince George Fire Centre.
Evacuation alerts
July 10
Teepee Lake Fire is 1,100 hectares.
An evacuation alert was issued for 160 parcels covering 63,022 hectares.
It was discovered late July 10 at 80 hectares by aerial reconnaissance.
Towsend Creek Area, for 16,677 hectares, located west of the Townsend Creek Evacuation Order area
Pelican Lake Area for 686 parcels including Titetown, covering an area of 52,982 hectares.
As of July 11, the Pelican Lake fire is estimated to be 15 hectares.
BCWS ground crews were supported by aircraft July 10 with additional support including ground crews and heavy equipment arriving July 11. This fire is 6 kilometres east of the community of Titetown.
Branch Road Fire is 819 hectares and the area was put under alert, July 8.
BCWS crews are onsite with additional support personnel and local contract firefighters. Heavy equipment is also onsite and assisting with suppression efforts.
BC Wildfire Service personnel are utilizing planned ignitions and indirect fire suppression tactics. Airtankers and helicopters assisted in fire suppression throughout the day July 10.
Trout Lake (C11308) is six hectares
BC Wildfire Service personnel are onsite with support from local contract wildfire firefighters and heavy equipment. There is a control line including natural fire barriers around 100 per cent of the wildfire. Over the weekend the Nazko road was tactically shut down periodically to ensure the safety of motorists and BCWS personnel. The road remains open with flaggers onsite to ensure safe travel.
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