Wildfires in the Southern Interior are severely impacting area highways, with two major routes closed to traffic.
Drivers travelling east of Hope are advised that Highway 3 (Hope-Princeton Highway) is closed between the Hope Slide/Sunshine Valley area and eight kilometres west of Manning Park Lodge.
Overhead signs and portable message boards are in place to alert travellers to the closure, which will remain in place until it is safe to reopen the corridor.
Highway 1 is closed near Boston Bar because of the Brunswick Creek complex. The Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment issued a statement on Thursday (July 23) warning that “due to the active wildfire and rapidly changing conditions, the area is not considered safe for members of the public.”
The Coquihalla (Highway 5) remains the only major route into the Southern Interior still open. However, construction work is taking place along the highway, so drivers are being asked to exercise patience. Obey all posted speed limits, traffic-control personnel, and construction signage, and please allow for additional travel time.
Smoke will be visible throughout the region and may affect visibility along transportation corridors. Please do not stop along roadways to view any wildfire activity.
As of Thursday evening (July 23), the Norwegian Creek fire near Highway 3 was listed at 957 hectares. The Brunswick Creek complex in the Fraser Canyon, which consists of the Brunsiwck Creek, Ainslie Creek, and Anderson Creek fires, is listed at a combined 29,149 hectares.
Given the quickly-changing nature of the situation, people travelling through the area are encouraged to continue to check DriveBC (https://drivebc.ca/) for the most up-to-date closure and reopening information. For information on evacuation orders and alerts in B.C., including recommended actions, visit https://emergencyinfobc.ca. For up-to-date information on the current wildfire situation visit https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/dashboard.