Traveling through BC wildfire area

[GpnAZ]

We are scheduled to drive from Prince Rupert to Prince George to Cache Creek to Whistler to Victoria next week and have campsites at each of those towns. I'm looking for responses from anyone that has driven through these areas within the last week and wondering if we should just try to take the ferry from Prince Rupert to Vancouver Island instead. The wildfire reports look bad and not getting any better. Anyone traveling through these areas and could share their experiences would help us determine our plan of travel.

[silversand]

The following is the interactive Canadian Wildland Fire Information System here-->

This is what I do if the possibility of driving through wildfire territory presents itself. Your mileage will vary, and you will have to make up your own mind as to the risks you want to assume.

I zoom in to the appropriate scale, turn on the "Active Fires" layer, and the "Fire M3 Hotspots" layer, then pan along my proposed route(s).

Smoke direction and visibility is highly variable, and can change in literally 10 ~ 20 minutes (nobody can predict where smoke will be; only in situ observation will inform real time). Fire perimeters and directions change in minutes, too. Predicting where wildfires and smoke will spread and how fast hour-by-hour is very problematic.

I am on my own when I enter wildfire territory, only I can decide what risk I want to assume. I do my due diligence right up to the minute before I leave.

[Photomike]

A few things to keep in mind.

It is REALLY dry in BC and things change in seconds, be prepared where ever you are camped to bug out in minutes.

Driving is not the only thing that the smoke is effecting, breathing is an issue as well. In Kamloops last week the air quality on a scale of 1 - 10 was at 40! Put your air on recirculate when going through the smoke. If health conditions be extra careful.

If you are going to do any hikes be aware of the fires around you. A wind change and things can get bad fast.

Keep your vehicle gassed up. You never know when or if you are going to have to take off and where the next gas station is.

As much as BC has a lot of amazing camping spots in the bush I would strongly suggest camping in established campgrounds. It is easier to get news if you are with others.

There are a lot of fire bans out so ask before lighting.

BC has had some insane heat this year so stay hydrated

And most of all enjoy, it is only a small part of the province that is "threatened" by the fires and the rest is as amazing as ever once the smoke clears. Those in the tourism industry still need people this summer so enjoy.

[HMS_Beagle]

It may not be much better by ferry. We are out on the boat this month, currently in the north end of Desolation Sound. It is so smoky you can't see the mountains, some days we have been navigating by GPS and radar with visibility around 1/2 mile. The ferry would come through the Narrows, a bit west of here but still in the smoke I think. Local weather says Saturday it should change and wash/blow some of the smoke east.

[GpnAZ]

Thanks everybody for the replies, looks like we will probably take hwy 16 out of Prince George then south on 5. Hopefully the smoke will be better by the time we get to Vancouver.

Safe travels to everyone!

[work2much]

We are near Smithers heading towards Prince George and off to Jasper and Banff. It is smokey herein Smithers but not terrible. We have been told by the camp host here who was in Prince George yesterday that it is clear there. We are planning to push through to Prince George today through the smoke along 16 and hopefully leave it behind us from there.

I have heard Vancouver is very bad right now, the smoke so bad it is delaying aircraft due to visibility.

[gvgeode]

We are currently in Prince George having come from Cache Creek last night. The drive north from the border on 1 was increasingly smokey until at Cache Creek it was terrible with ash falling. We got a motel room, couldn't stay in the camper. 97 was closed north of Cache Creek so we took 1 to Kamloops where the smoke was much less dense, and then north to Tete Jaune Cache. By the time we got there the smoke was almost non-existent. On 16 to Prince George the smoke gradually increased but it's not bad here now. Passed a new fire started near Dome Creek on the way. The rain expected this weekend and next week should improve air quality significantly for some areas.

We're off tomorrow to Stewart/Hyder and then Prince Rupert. Hopefully no mudslides on our trip. Good luck.

[Downwindtracke1]

The loop around down #5 Yellowhead instead of the #97 Hart highway isn't much farther and about the same time. I might have to take when I go north for hunting. Some guys prefer it.

I would think twice about using #99 from Cache Creek to Whistler. It's not an easy highway, you go right over the Coast mountains, but you do have a engine brake . I've seen a C-class motorhome with huge clouds of smoke billowing from it's front brakes after coming down on the Whistler side. I've heard of a few catching fire. Besides it's right through the fire area. The #1 Fraser Canyon is also scenic.

[ejfranz]

For a slightly longer trip if HWY 97 is closed you can do Hwy 16 south from Prince George and then join up with Hwy 5 to Kamloops and back to the coast. That is what we ended up doing a little over a week ago as Hwy 97 was only open to evacuees. We almost got stuck in Prince Rupert as there was a mud slide on Hwy 16. It delayed us for a few hours.

[jimh406]

I've been driving along I-90 regularly from MT-WA, but not in BC. Obviously, there are fires along that route as well. Hopefully, you have a good in cabin air filter in your truck/car. Running AC with that on helps a lot even when there is a lot of smoke.

Some thoughts that might be helpful. Conditions vary a lot, so there is going to be a bit of luck no matter which path you take. For example, Friday, visibility/smoke was less than 50 yards in some areas around Vantage. Yesterday, visibility was probably at least 500 yards through the same area. I think it mostly depends if it is going to be windy or not. Still air seems to have more smoke at my place in MT as well.

This page has the BC wildfire closings along with links to the webcams that are useful for current conditions. https://www.tranbc.ca/current-travel-advisories/

[GpnAZ]

Thanks for the link and tip for the other forum.I still would welcome any replies from this forum also.

[SideHillSoup]

Here is the link you should be looking at for updated Hwy reports
Hwy link
Also you should be posting in the Canada / Alaska forum for info on Canada.
You may have trouble getting a ferry south from Rupert this time of year. However as of right now you can take Hwy 97 south to 100 Mile House then 24 east , then 5 South
Good luck.
Soup.