Elk River Forest Service Road near Elkford closed due to wildfire activity

The BC Wildfire Service has closed the Elk River Forest Service Road, as fire crews continue their response to wildfires near the community.

The closure affects the forest service road leading to Elk Lakes Provincial Park.

All traffic will not be able to access the road, except for firefighting and emergency services personnel.

District of Elkford bylaw enforcement is on scene to assist with traffic control in that area.

The District of Elkford assures that the community, structures and infrastructure are not under any threat from the nearby wildfire at this time.

Increased fire behaviour and smoke will likely be visible from Elkford and the surrounding area in the coming days.

A full statement from the District of Elkford can be found below:

An update for Elkford residents that the BC Wildfire Service has now closed Elk River Forest Service Road (the forest service road leading to Elk Lakes Provincial Park) to ALL traffic except for firefighting and emergency services personnel. District of Elkford bylaw enforcement is currently on scene to assist with traffic control.

Note that public interference has a direct impact on the effectiveness of fire suppression activities and poses safety risks to both the public and responders who are working to contain a fire, so we implore you to respect all area restrictions and abide by all closures put into effect by the BC Wildfire Service.

A reminder that our community, structures, infrastructure and other values are NOT under threat at this time. Increased fire behaviour and smoke will likely be visible from Elkford and surrounding areas in the coming days as hot, dry conditions persist; but aircraft are on-hand supporting ground crews, and heavy equipment and firefighters are building guard and developing plans for control lines to contain the fire.

As always, we will keep you updated. If you are not already following them, we encourage you to follow Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) and BC Wildfire Service on Facebook.

– Graphic credit: District of Elkford / Facebook