Wildfires' effect on B.C. tourism depends where you are — and how visible flames are
Vancouver expecting busy long weekend, but Kamloops resort near fires sees bookings dip
British Columbia's record wildfire season has affected travel bookings in some areas, but other regions have seen continued tourism demand despite their proximity to active blazes.
Jason Upton, manager of the Lac Le Jeune Nature Resort south of Kamloops, said the resort is open but remains on evacuation alert. Maintaining bookings is difficult since the Rossmoore Lake fire is burning just a few kilometres away, he said.
Upton said the resort had been close to selling out for the entire upcoming long weekend, but the threat of the nearby fire has led to cancellations by all but three guests.
"It looks completely empty here, and I really can't blame people,'' he said. "If I have a family asking me what it's like, I'm honest and I'll say chances are you're probably not going to be comfortable sleeping here because these fires are two kilometres away — I'm looking out the window as we talk, watching the planes picking up water.''
On Vancouver Island, however, things are different with no fires of note currently burning there.
Brian Cant, acting president at 4VI, a travel and tourism agency on Vancouver Island, said the closure in June of Highway 4 to Tofino caused a "small dip'' in overall trips to the island that month.
He said in a statement that operators have indicated the August long weekend will remain "the busiest time of the year'' for tourism in the region.
Kootenay Rockies Tourism CEO Kathy Cooper said there has been a drop in business in parts of the region, but places like Cranbrook — 15 kilometres south of the active St. Mary's River wildfire — have actually seen bookings rise this summer as the smoke clears from many communities.
Cooper said in places where bookings have fallen, factors such as high gas prices may be having a bigger impact than the threat of wildfires.
"In some areas — for example, over in the West Kootenays — numbers are not as high as they were last year,'' she said. "But we don't necessarily attribute that specifically to wildfires. There could be a lot of different cost factors (like) interest rates and the economy.''
Cooper said the group is very active on social media, posting real-time photos from around the region so that "people can see what it actually looks like'' at a given location "at this particular hour.''
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It's also expected to be the busiest long weekend of the year for B.C. Ferries, which has been plagued by cancellations, long delays and incorrect website information. CEO Nicolas Jimenez said at a news conference this week that every vessel will be operating at full capacity.
But the challenge for operations under evacuation alert due to wildfires is much different.
Upton, at the Lac Le Jeune resort, said he can't imagine bookings returning to normal without the nearby fire dramatically pulling back or being extinguished outright.
Upton said he is also worried about the damage to nearby campgrounds, local wildlife and the general environment affecting what he considers the "crown jewel'' of British Columbia.
"This place to me is therapy,'' Upton said.
He's urging provincial officials to boost firefighting resources dramatically to protect B.C.'s environment.
"When I come here, I'm calmed by looking at the lake, the trees and the wildlife, and we all need that. This is so precious that I really hope that it does bounce back.''