Travellers urged to be cautious as B.C. wildfires rage on
If you’re going on a road trip, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. That’s the message from tourism officials as fires burn in the Okanagan and beyond.
In the South Okanagan, it appears would-be vacationers are being careful.
“We’re experiencing what I call a tidal wave of cancellations,” says Howard Rensler, manager of the Westridge Motor Inn in Osoyoos. Rensler says over the past week, he’s had hundreds of people calling the motel to cancel their reservations or ask just how bad the air quality is in Osoyoos.
“They had planned to come to Osoyoos for recreational, vacation-type experiences, and those are likely compromised by the fires and smoke and everything else.”
For Rensler, the cancellations are concerning. The motel makes 90 per cent of its money in the summer months. Pandemic losses now coupled with wildfires has the motel manager wondering what the future holds.
“I’m expecting locusts next,” Rensler says jokingly.
At least two other Osoyoos accommodations tell CTV News they’re dealing with an influx of cancelled bookings as well. Local attractions in the area are also taking a hit, largely because of the Nk’Mip Creek wildfire burning east of the city.
“It’s definitely impacting our wineries and tourism,” says Sarah Lefebvre, president of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association. “If you’re coming to this area, we want you to be prepared. We want you to plan ahead. We want you to be flexible with what may come.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Sue McKortoff, the mayor of Osyoos.
“It’s pretty grey here right now. We don’t know how long it’s going to last. So, my suggestion is please do your homework before you venture up here.”
The Tourism Industry Association of B.C. (TIABC) is urging prospective travellers not to cancel plans, but to find the places in B.C. that aren’t currently dealing with wildfires.
“We have large areas of land in this province that people can visit,” says Vivek Sharma, TIABC chair. “We’re encouraging all visitors to go to the Destination BC website to get the latest update of what is happening with wildfires.”
Despite the smoky skies above Osoyoos, Rensler’s motel and many more are open for business. But, he admits now might not be the best time to visit.
“If you’re coming because you want to experience all of the outdoor activities that can be done in Osoyoos, you might want to wait a week or two.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.