(Gold Bridge) About 160 firefighters battling a blaze in British Columbia were forced to leave their campsite due to the “ongoing presence” of bears in the area.
Published yesterday at 6:18 p.m.
The Forest Fire Prevention Service claims the bears threatened the safety of forest firefighters “in and around” their camp near Gold Bridge, about 100 kilometers west of Lillooet. The authorities therefore asked the staff to clear the camp on Wednesday evening.
Officials say conservation officers are “evaluating and consulting” on plans to safely return firefighters from the wilderness to continue their fight against the Downton Lake fire.
“Scavenger bears” are a problem in other fire-affected areas of British Columbia. Officials in the interior Shuswap region are collecting trash and refrigerators in hopes of keeping the animals at bay.
The Downton Lake fire has ravaged 95 square kilometers of land and triggered evacuation orders and alarms.
According to the Forest Service, fire activity remains low after rain overnight and Thursday morning. Further rainfall was forecast throughout the day.
“Approximately 160 personnel have traveled to Lillooet, where they are currently housed at T’it’q’et First Nation and City facilities,” the service said on social media.