100 Mile House, B.C. – Great news for South Cariboo residents.

Today the Cariboo Regional District says the reduced fire risk in the area means residents from an area from the north end of Lac La Hache through to the entirety of the District of 100 Mile House can go home.

The area has been reduced from an evacuation order to an evacuation alert (see map below to see the specific area that has been downgraded).

While residents are able to return to 100 Mile House and surrounding area, nearby locations remain on evacuation order and security will be in place to enforce the order in those areas.

“Services that residents are used to or rely on, such as grocery and health care, may be limited for some time,” says the CRD. “Anyone choosing to return to the area should ensure that they have a full tank of gas s well as basic necessities including food and prescriptions for up to seven days.”

In addition to that, the CRD says air quality remains poor due to the smoke caused by wildfires in the area. Those with small children, respiratory issues and the elderly should consider this before choosing to return to the area.

For those wanting to wait due to the smoke, Emergency Social Services will remain available to them until services can be restored.

For people staying south of 100 Mile House, the route home is clear along Highway 97 north. For those residents staying north of Williams Lake, the route home will be along Highway 16 to Highway 5 then along Highway 24, as Highway 97 remains closed due to evacuation orders.

Those who were removed from the community via bus will be able to return home via BC Transit within 48 hours. Door-to-door bus service for those with mobility issues will be available on Monday afternoon. Sign up for these services at your closest ESS centre or by calling 1-800-585-9559.

An information centre with many resources will be set up at the South Cariboo Recreation Centre and will be open 8am – 8pm daily until need subsides. Red Cross services will be available to anyone returning to the area that requires assistance. They can be reached at 1-800-863-6582.

Donations – though the thought is greatly appreciated – are not being accepted right now as CRD communities do not have the resources to manage donations of goods.

Prior to today’s announcement, South Cariboo residents had been on evacuation order since July 9. Today’s announcement comes just hours after news the Gustafsen fire just west of 100 Mile House is now 90 per cent contained.