Wildfire forces evacuation of B.C.'s Barkerville gold rush heritage site

Visitors have been told to avoid B.C.'s historic Barkerville gold rush town, which is among several areas in the province's Cariboo region under evacuation orders due to the massive Antler Creek wildfire.

The Barkerville Historic Town and Park – said to be the largest "living-history museum" in western North America – was closed down Sunday, with an update on the attraction's website warning the public to keep away from the area.

Images shared by the B.C. Wildfire Service show water sprinklers mounted on the buildings in the Barkerville, with wildfire smoke looming overhead. 

The Antler Creek blaze was discovered Saturday, and has since spread to an estimated 3,162 hectares, prompting additional evacuations in the District of Wells, the Bowron Lakes community, and the west side of the Bowron Lakes chain.

"Wildfires in the area pose a threat to human life," reads an alert on the EmergencyInfoBC website.

Barkerville was established as a provincial heritage site in 1958, and offers a window into life in one of the many gold rush boomtowns of the 19th century. The attraction features more than 100 preserved heritage structures, and a cast of actors in period clothing who remain in character while interacting with guests.

The Barkerville Historic Town and Park suffered a major decline in attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has gradually seen visitors return over recent years, according to public programming manager Stewart Cawood.

Cawood called the sudden evacuation of Barkerville on Sunday "incredibly frustrating."

The Barkerville Historic Town and Park was evacuated on Sunday, July 21, 2024 due to the massive Antler Creek wildfire. (B.C. Wildfire Service)

"Unfortunately, we are at the whims and wills of Mother Nature, so there's not much we can do," Cawood said. "When something like this happens, we just have to be able to roll with the punches and keep everybody safe."

The Antler Creek wildfire was among dozens sparked across B.C. over the weekend as many areas experienced high temperatures, strong winds and lightning storms.

The blaze was categorized as "out of control" Monday morning on the B.C. Wildfire Service website, meaning it is "spreading or it is anticipated to spread beyond the current perimeter or control line."

With files from The Canadian Press