Relieved but apprehensive: Businesses weakened by B.C. wildfire
Businesses around Clearwater, B.C. took a deep sigh of relief on Tuesday after Wells Gray Provincial Park re-opened after a shutdown lasting more than two weeks.
The park— a popular tourist destination particularly with Europeans — closed down as a precautionary measure on July 9.
There were no fires burning in the park but there is only one road in and out, and at the time the fire danger rating was extreme.
"It was horrific. We geared up for the summer tourist market and to have that happen ... it was a big hit," said William Robinson, owner of Hop "N" Hog restaurant, which is 400 metres away from the park's visitor information centre.
Robinson said business dropped about 50 per cent overnight.
"As soon as it was announced that the park was shut, it was real hit for us," he said.
He estimates that he lost about $20,000 in revenue on the weekend of July 15.
"It's really hard to absorb that kind of thing. Especially, being so seasonal here," he said.
He had to throw out plenty of food including the meat the restaurant had smoked for 16 hours.
Some staff laid off
The story is much the same for boating companies, guided canoes and hiking tours in the area, some of which laid off staff because of the park's closure.
"I laid off 13 staff," said Merlin Blackwell, the park operator contracted to take care of Wells Gray Provincial Park.
He managed to hire back the majority of staff members on special contracts, but says they lost about $60,000 during the closure.
"This is a business like Christmas retail. We make our Christmas money now. The last two weeks and the next six weeks is when we make 80 to 85 per cent of our income. To be shut down for two weeks of that is hard to take," he said.
Blackwell believes if the closure had gone on for longer, the park couldn't afford to open up next year.
"I'm relieved we are back in business. But apprehensive," he said.
"We're already getting cancellations three to four weeks out and with the uncertainty of the fire season, people are opting out already."
Robinson shares the same concern, fearing the damage to tourism is irreparable.
"People need to know that the park is still here and it hasn't burned down," he said, "I hope people still want to come here and it's not somewhere they want to avoid."
Public urged to remain vigilant
While conditions have improved, it's still dry, and Blackwell worries a human-caused wildfire could start up near the park, sparking another closure.
B.C.'s chief fire information officer, Kevin Skrepnek urged the public to remain vigilant.
"We don't want people getting complacent. This is typically when we get to our busiest period and we have a lot of summer ahead of us potentially," he said.
"Really no reprieve in sight, in terms of a significant weather environment that's going to hit the reset button on what we're going through right now."
