Wildfire evacuees in the Fraser Canyon are returning home, with the downgrading of evacuation orders in and around Boston Bar on Wednesday after several weeks. The Fraser Valley Regional District says residents must stay ready to leave as the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires, spanning more than 480 square kilometres, continue to burn out of control. A large sign reading “Welcome Home!” in capital letters has been greeting residents returning to the community. The sign says the message is from the local Boston Bar and North Bend fire department, with photos posted to social media showing a red fire truck parked beside it along the side of a highway, with smoky skies in the background. The regional district downgraded the evacuation orders to alerts for properties in and around Boston Bar, stretching from Scuzzy Creek in the south to the Nahatlatch area in the north. A boil-water advisory remains in place, with the district saying people returning home should bring plenty of food and bottled water along with cleaning supplies, a first aid kit and a camera to document any damages at their properties. Patricia Ross, board chair for the Fraser Valley Regional District, says there’s a lot of work ahead for returning residents, but “it’s a step in the right direction.” The district has posted information online to help residents heading home, along with contact information for various resources. Ross says district officials made the decision to downgrade the evacuation orders based on a recommendation by the BC Wildfire Service. “They’ve done a good assessment of the area, they’re confident that it is safe enough for people ... that they can go home, at least for now,” she says. “We’re really crossing our fingers and hopeful that it stays that way, so that they can stay home, and the weather doesn’t give us some trouble.” There are now 867 properties subject to evacuation alerts, while 46 remain under evacuation order in the jurisdiction of the regional district, Ross says, noting First Nations have issued their own orders and alerts. Residents may also face a circuitous route home, as Highway 1 is closed between Yale and Boston Bar, while the district says Highway 8 between Merritt and Spences Bridge should be avoided due to wildfire evacuations in the area. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2026.
