Slow Food Cycle in Pemberton cancelled

Pemberton’s Slow Food Cycle has been cancelled for Sunday, Aug. 20.

Tourism Pemberton’s website updated the page associated with the event and noted the cancellation on Aug. 18.

“Due to the B.C. current state of emergency and in support of the Electoral Area A, our neighbours under evacuation order and alert, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel Slow Food Cycle,” the website reads.

The note refers to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Electoral Area A, which some parts have been told to evacuate due to a growing wildfire in the area.

After hot temperatures pummelled parts of B.C. early in the last week, wildfires struck parts of B.C. after temperatures cooled in the latter half. 

North of Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, the Casper Creek and Downton Lake wildfires have increased in size to over 9,000 hectares combined as of Friday, Aug. 18.

Squamish awoke on Saturday, Aug. 19 to a smoke-filled sky, partially due to a wind shift now coming from the north. According to the B.C. Wildfire Service smoke forecast map, the smoke should become more apparent throughout the day, but let up somewhat overnight and into early Sunday.

Elsewhere in B.C., firefighters are still battling a fire in West Kelowna, as thousands of people have been evacuated from the area. Premier David Eby issued a state of emergency, asking people to stay away from the central interior and southeastern B.C.