Relieved but apprehensive: Businesses weakened by B.C. wildfire

Businesses around Clearwater, B.C. took a deepsigh of relief on Tuesdayafter Wells Gray Provincial Park re-opened after a shutdown lasting more than two weeks.

• Fighting the flames from 1,500 metres above sea level
• 'We got what we could': Fire evacuees find shelter in Kamloops, B.C.

The parkapopular tourist destination particularly with Europeansclosed down as a precautionary measureon July 9.

There were no fires burning in the parkbut there is only one road in and out, and at the timethe fire danger rating was extreme.

"Itwas horrific.We geared up for the summertourist market andto have that happen... it was a big hit," said William Robinson, owner of Hop "N"Hog restaurant, which is 400 metres away from the park's visitor information centre.

Robinson said business dropped about 50 per cent overnight.

"As soon as it was announced that the park was shut, it was real hit for us," he said.

He estimates that he lost about $20,000 in revenue on the weekend ofJuly 15.

"It's really hard to absorb that kind of thing. Especially,being so seasonal here," he said.

He had to throw out plenty of food including the meat the restaurant hadsmoked for 16 hours.

Some staff laid off

The story is much the same for boating companies, guidedcanoes and hiking tours in the area, some of which laid off staff because of the park's closure.

"I laid off 13 staff," said Merlin Blackwell, theparkoperator contracted to take care of Wells Gray Provincial Park.

He managed to hire back the majority of staff members on special contracts, but says they lost about $60,000 during the closure.

• B.C. tourism operators feel the heat from wildfires
• 'Trying to save what we've worked so hard for': Loon Lake fire causes devastation

"This is a business likeChristmasretail. Wemake ourChristmasmoney now.The last twoweeks and thenext sixweeks is when wemake 80 to85 per cent of our income. To be shut down for twoweeks of that is hard to take," he said.

Blackwellbelievesif the closure had gone on for longer, the park couldn'tafford to open up next year.

"I'm relieved we are back in business. But apprehensive," he said.

"We're already getting cancellations three to four weeks out and with the uncertainty of the fire season, people are opting out already."

Robinson shares the same concern, fearing the damage to tourism is irreparable.

"People need to know that the park is still here and it hasn't burned down," he said, "I hope people stillwant to come here and it's not somewherethey want to avoid."

Public urged to remainvigilant

While conditions have improved, it's still dry, andBlackwellworries a human-caused wildfire could start up near the park, sparking another closure.

B.C.'s chief fire information officer, KevinSkrepnekurged the public to remain vigilant.

"We don't want people getting complacent. This is typically when we get to our busiest period and we have a lot of summer ahead of us potentially," he said.

"Reallyno reprieve in sight, in terms of a significant weather environment that's going to hit thereset button on what we're going through right now."

• 'I remember what it's like:' Getting inked in honour of B.C.'s wildfire victims