Highway 1 reopens in B.C.'s Shuswap, 2 days after confrontation at RCMP roadblock

Highway 1 has reopened between Chase and Sorrento in the B.C. Interior, two days after a tense confrontation between Mounties and local residents at a roadblock.

The self-described "Convoy of Truth and Freedom" said on social media that its goal was to "engage in a diplomatic and peaceful conversation with checkpoint officers" and begin the process of dismantling the RCMP blockade and opening the highway.

Ultimately, the group was unsuccessful. No arrests were made and the road remained closed Wednesday night, as it had been since Aug. 18 due to the Bush Creek East wildfire.

On Friday morning, the provincial government announced that the highway had reopened.

"The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has been working closely with response agencies, monitoring wildfire risk and activity along the corridor, and supporting evacuation orders," the ministry said in a statement.

"Crews are also working to clear side roads adversely affected by wildfire."

Tensions in B.C.'s Shuswap region have been high since two wildfires combined to sweep through villages and across the highway last week.

Some residents stayed behind to protect their properties in defiance of evacuation orders. They and others have also been critical of the BC Wildfire Service response to the Adams Complex fire, as it is known. 

Officials have maintained that they are sympathetic to people whose homes are in danger, but repeatedly warned people that ignoring evacuation orders puts themselves and firefighters in danger.

The wildfire service said its crews have faced "threats and abuse" in the region, and on Wednesday night – as the convoy confronted officers at the Highway 1 roadblock – it announced it had reassigned personnel away from the North Shuswap area because of safety concerns unrelated to the wildfire itself. 

Though Highway 1 reopened between Chase and Sorrento Friday morning, evacuation orders along the corridor remained in place until the afternoon, when they were downgraded to alerts.

Thousands of properties remain on evacuation order in the regional district, with hundreds more on evacuation alert.

HIGHWAY 1 STILL CLOSED IN FRASER CANYON

While the Trans-Canada Highway is open again in the Shuswap, it remains closed between Boston Bar and Lytton in the Fraser Canyon region.

That section of highway was closed on Aug. 17 due to the Kookipi Creek wildfire, and is expected to remain closed through this weekend, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

"The fire has burned trees on the bluffs above the highway, resulting in falling trees and boulders along the affected area, including through the Falls Creek (Jackass Mountain) highway reconstruction site," the ministry said in its statement.

"The removal of dangerous trees and rock scaling is underway along the corridor. The ministry's maintenance contractor has begun clearing culverts through the affected area."

The ministry said it would provide further updates on the reopening of this section of Highway 1 on Monday.