When Stewart Cawood returned to British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 historic gold rush town of Barkerville earlier this week, he said the town looked almost like it had been 91裸聊视频渞ansacked.91裸聊视频�

Barkerville and the surrounding region had been evacuated several days earlier due to a nearby wildfire.

Firefighting crews had drenched the town, creating a so-called humidity bubble to shield it from the blaze.

Though the 143-square kilometre wildfire continues to burn out of control, all evacuation orders and alerts were lifted in the area by Monday.

Cawood, Barkerville91裸聊视频檚 public programming and media manager, said the hoses that littered the town just days ago have now been removed as it prepares to reopen to the public Friday.

91裸聊视频淏efore all of this went down, we were having a great season,91裸聊视频� he said of the two-week closure.

91裸聊视频淲e were hoping to sort of start getting back to where we were before the pandemic. This has definitely put a dampener on all of that, but I do remain hopeful 91裸聊视频� that people are going to come out and support us.91裸聊视频�

The historic town said in a news release that its programs will resume, though guests may see 91裸聊视频渆levated smoke91裸聊视频� and its campgrounds, cottages and guest houses will remain closed until about mid-August.

It said people are welcome to make arrangements to stay at the Historic St. George Hotel, a private local business, or in neighbouring communities that have also 91裸聊视频渇aced economic challenges with the recent evacuation orders.91裸聊视频�

The influence wildfires may have on tourism are not limited to B.C.91裸聊视频檚 Cariboo region.

Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC, said there is 91裸聊视频渘o question that wildfires have an impact on the visitor economy in B.C.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淐ertainly, when a wildfire hits an area, it dissuades people from travelling there, particularly for leisure reasons,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview Wednesday. 91裸聊视频淏ut it also may force people to leave an area where they are vacationing, notwithstanding the impact on residents and businesses and so on.91裸聊视频�

Cawood said the 12-day closure has resulted in a loss of about $90,000 for Barkerville, accounting for loss of ticket sales, accommodation cancellations and paying for emergency staffing.

The impacts of the evacuation order will likely last longer than the smoke, he added.

91裸聊视频淚 do think we91裸聊视频檙e going to see a downturn in tourism. We have had cancellations that go further into the summer than even just this immediate period,91裸聊视频� he said.

Judas said it91裸聊视频檚 difficult to measure the economic impact on tourism revenue because there are numerous reasons for a slowdown, such as personal economic constraints.

91裸聊视频淲e do see places in the province where there is a softening on the number of bookings that they might normally expect at this time of the year,91裸聊视频� Judas said. 91裸聊视频淚 would say that is partially attributable to the wildfires, but not necessarily entirely.91裸聊视频�

Recent rains and cooler temperatures have helped dampen some wildfire activity across the province.

In the north, conditions have improved to the point that the province is lifting campfire bans in the Prince George and Northwest fire centres starting Thursday.

However, Cliff Chapman, the director of provincial operations for the BC Wildfire Service, has said a hot, dry pattern is expected to return to the south by this weekend.

Many of the roughly 330 wildfires burning throughout B.C. are concentrated in the southeast, where hundreds of residents of the Slocan area were forced out of their homes due to the danger.

Bowinn Ma, B.C.91裸聊视频檚 emergency management minister, told a wildfire briefing this week that the province is still encouraging people to visit. However, she reminded travellers to be prepared by looking up the regional forecast, road conditions, highway closures and evacuation alerts.

91裸聊视频淚f you are travelling by car, it is important to have an emergency kit in your car, have sufficient water, food, extra clothing and emergency gear,91裸聊视频� she said, noting that wildfire behaviour is unpredictable and conditions can change quickly.

Maya Lange of Destination BC, a provincial Crown corporation, echoed Ma, saying B.C. is a 91裸聊视频渇our season destination91裸聊视频� that spans a large geographical area.

91裸聊视频淲e have many different areas that people can visit. It91裸聊视频檚 not that all of the province is impacted by wildfires,91裸聊视频� she said in an interview.

But, the corporation said in a statement Wednesday that the economic impact on tourism varies each year. In 2023, it said 91裸聊视频渨ildfires had an impact on accommodation performance within traditionally strong summer markets.91裸聊视频�

It said Osoyoos saw large occupancy declines starting July 29, 2023, recording record low rates the week of Aug. 20, just as wildfires were sweeping through the Shuswap and Okanagan regions.

91裸聊视频淚n wildfire-impacted areas, occupancy rates returned to previous-recorded levels in the fall.91裸聊视频�

But Lange, who is vice-president of global marketing with Destination BC, said tourism has grown since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly since 2022.

91裸聊视频淭here are areas of Canada and around the world where wildfires are a concern, but it isn91裸聊视频檛 the entire country or the entire province,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e are forecasting 2024 to be a very strong tourism year.91裸聊视频�

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press