‘It has been horrifying’: Boston Bar, B.C., residents forced to leave as wildfire burns nearby

The massive Brunswick Complex fire has forced the evacuation of Boston Bar.

The community of Boston Bar, B.C., remains under an evacuation order as a massive, out-of-control wildfire continues to grow.

But things could still get worse.

Residents were told Thursday morning to leave as the Brunswick Complex fire continued to threaten the area.

Viola Grieve, an evacuee from Boston Bar, said the order did not surprise her, but it’s was still upsetting.

“Very sad, actually,” she said. “Especially for most of the elderly in town, this is their home. They’re set up. They’ve been here for years and years, my father especially who’s 84. We literally had to talk him into leaving for about three hours before he agreed.”

Grieve said after watching the fire through the night, she woke up and started gathering her things, “knowing in my heart we would be evacuated.”

Cheyenne Campbell was forced to leave her home in the small community of nearby North Bend last week, however, she had remained working in Boston Bar until Thursday morning when the order was issued.

“It has been horrifying, hearing that alertable notice. It’s like hearing an army bugle. It’s horrifying hearing it so many times,” she said.

“Every single community in the Boston Bar area is now on evacuation orders. So, everybody needs to get out,” Campbell said, adding that is has been very scary watching the fire burn.

On Thursday, helicopters could be seen bucketing the wildfire.

Heat, rugged terrain, along with aggressive fire behavior fueled by winds, are making the job of firefighters even tougher.

And their work could get still more difficult.

“We do have an incoming storm so that could bring dry lightning, erratic winds,” explained Julia Caranci, an information officer for the Brunswick Complex.

“We have a number of potential conditions that could present a safety danger to our crews and other personnel working on the fires,” she said. “Today, actually, our number one priority is going to be the safety of our crews.”

Residents say they don’t know when they will be able to return, or what they will return to.

Highway 1 was shutdown Thursday about eight kilometres outside of Boston Bar. Only emergency workers were allowed beyond the roadblock.