Fort Nelson: The Powerline That Set A Town Ablaze
Photo Credit: BC Wildfire Service
On May 10, Fort Nelson, a town in northeast BC, was put in danger by the Parker Lake wildfire. Over 4,700 residents were ordered to evacuate the area for more than two weeks before the fire was brought under control.
Four homes were destroyed and six properties were damaged in the fire.
The Parker Lake wildfire was ignited on May 9 when high winds caused a tree to fall onto a powerline, setting the tree on fire. From 5:25 PM to 9:00 AM the next day, the fire grew from roughly 0.5 to 16.9 square kilometres, fueled by extreme winds and dry conditions.
The Nogah Creek and Patry Creek wildfires near Fort Nelson were also reignited on May 9. Hugh Murdoch, a wildfire incident manager working out of Fort Nelson, reported in a video update online that, “[The Nogah Creek and Patry Creek] fires from the previous year [are] another source that’s giving us a lot of challenges.”
Shortly before 7:30 PM on May 10, the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) and the Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) community issued an evacuation order for residents, asking that they flee to Fort St. John, a neighbouring city. Most residents complied with the demand, but some farther from the fire chose to stay in Fort Nelson.
The Northern Health Authority also closed down the Fort Nelson General Hospital and evacuated all patients to other hospitals in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek.
According to CBC News, on May 10 at 10:00 PM, local firefighters, air tankers, BCWS firefighters, and the Royal Canadian Mountain Police were all involved in containing the fire.
On May 12, the NRRM’s mayor Rob Fraser described the fire as “a deteriorating situation”, according to The Canadian Press. Containing the wildfire was becoming increasingly difficult, as forecasted strong winds could potentially push the fire into the Fort Nelson community itself. Consequently, emergency workers and fire crews were preparing for a “last stand” if need be.
Fraser cautioned that the wildfire could lead to a loss of electricity, water pressure, and other local resources for residents and emergency workers.
On May 12, the BCWS announced in an online statement that staff would remain in Fort Nelson “as long as it is safe to do so.” They also urged any residents still in the area to evacuate immediately.
As the fire settled down, the evacuation orders were removed on May 27. Evacuees reentered Fort Nelson and the Fort Nelson General Hospital was reopened.
At the Recreation Centre Community Hall, residents saw various support groups and received cleaning kits from the Red Cross. Highways 97 and 77, which were initially closed due to the fire, were reopened with some restrictions. Electricity and water pressure functions returned to normal, although a water quality advisory was issued for the Fort Nelson Community Water System.
Wildfire smoke remained in Fort Nelson, and an evacuation alert stayed in effect due to other fires burning near the town. “There’s a lot of joy and happiness [along with] relief that [evacuees are] back […] but there’s still a little apprehension,” said Fraser, according to The Canadian Press.
As of now, the BCWS website classifies the Parker Lake wildfire as “under control”.
On June 12, the NRRM held a post-evacuation community meeting where they discussed residents’ experiences with the fire and how communities in the boreal forest can prepare for similar events in the future.