The Alaska Highway is closed north and south of Fort Nelson, B.C., as authorities gauge the risk posed by trees and wildfires rip through the region.
The BC Wildfire Service is conducting a “dangerous tree assessment” that has indefinitely shut down the road, also known as Highway 97, from kilometres 485 to 648, north of Forth Nelson, where the Summit Lake fire is burning.
The highway is also temporarily closed between kilometres 252 and 365, south of Fort Nelson, because of the Pocket Knife Creek fire.
A road report shortly after 9 a.m. from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) noted limited visibility due to smoky conditions south of Fort Nelson.
An update at 9:42 a.m. announced the road is closed again.
The Alaska Highway has been facing on-and-off closures in northern British Columbia since June 2.
A notice on 511 Yukon indicates the status of the road could quickly change depending on the status of the multiple wildfires affecting the Alaska Highway.
A noon update on June 9 from PSPC indicates the Alaska Highway will be closed in both directions throughout the rest of the day and night, unless conditions change.
The Stewart-Cassiar Highway, the alternate road in and out of the Yukon to the south, also faced a temporary closure after a tanker rolled over, spilling material about 20 kilometres away from Dease Lake, B.C., late on the evening of June 5. The road was partially reopened while the situation was assessed and has since been fully reopened.
Drive BC regularly provides online updates about road statuses in B.C. while 511 Yukon offers updates on roads in the territory.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
