Bus driver (right) gets word trip to Wliiams Lake has been cancelled as passengers in background weigh the news. Photos 250News

Prince George, B.C. – Some Williams Lake wildfire evacuees who thought they were going home today aren’t, and are somewhat perturbed that their transportation was cancelled.

The Emergency Operations Centre in Prince George issued a notice Saturday night that evacuees without transportation who wished to head home today should be at the Northern Sport Centre at UNBC for a noon bus departure to Williams Lake.

The evacuees, perhaps a handful of them, turned up and so did the bus,  But, as they were about to board it an official with the evacuation effort here told them that, no, the bus would not be driving to Williams Lake today as there weren’t enough riders to warrant the trip.  A second reason related to 250 News was that concerns over air quality along the Highway 97 corridor would not allow the bus trip to proceed.

The would-be travellers were advised that perhaps the trip home would be made on Monday.

EOC spokesperson Rob Van Adrichem acknowledges that there were only a few people wishing to take the bus today.  He adds that there are some concerns about air quality in the Williams Lake area.  He says the multiple agencies involved in co-ordinating the transportation are “working on a timely and safe arrangement from an air quality perspective to get these people home.”

Shuttle takes evacuees back to CNC to re-register

In the meantime, they were told to take a shuttle to CNC to re-register at the emergency reception centre there and then return by shuttle to spend the day and tonight at the evacuation facility at the Northern Sport Centre.

None of the evacuees was pleased with the developments.  One man said “I was going home, I still have my place there and I was ready to go.  I guess we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”