The Cariboo Regional District announced Tuesday that residents are allowed to return to portions of the Central Cariboo area near Williams Lake.
The areas that have been downgraded from an evacuation order to an evacuation alert include Spokin Lake, Soda Creek and Frizzi Road, areas north and south of Mountain House Road and the area south of Frizzi Road.
Many residents in those areas have been evacuated since July 7.
CRD chair Al Richmond said the “stars aligned,” Tuesday for the orders to be reduced to alerts.
“We expressed our concerns and were finally able to convince people to make the decision. I think a couple of cool days made them feel more comfortable letting people go in, particularly Spokin Lake. Spokin Lake is a hot spot.”
Ever since the fires began the CRD has been meeting every morning to go over the alerts and orders, trying to determine whether they should remain in place.
“For some people it has been an extremely long time to be away.”
Residents returning to areas such as Spokin Lake are going back to an area where there has been “quite a bit of losses,” Richmond said.
“They will see the impacts of fire firsthand, unlike Williams Lake people who did not see much. Out there they are definitely going to see a community that’s been hit very very hard. There’s been a significant loss of homes in that area.”
While he would not say how many homes have been lost in a specific area, Richmond said to date 50 homes and 133 outbuildings have been lost within the CRD.
Richmond said before deciding to return, residents are encouraged to consider that wildfire activity continues in these areas, air quality remains poor and the areas are still on evacuation alert.
“We are still under alert so people need to be ready to leave within half an hour if necessary. It is difficult.”