VANCOUVER — Wildfires are currently making their way across British Columbia, prompting the province to issue a state of emergency. Monitoring the situation closely is Rocky Mountaineer, which operates train journeys through B.C., Alberta and the Pacific Northwest.
According to an alert on the company’s website, due to the wildfires in the Cariboo area, the railway near Quesnel has been closed, affecting the July 15 eastbound departure of ‘Rainforest to Gold Rush’ from Vancouver to Jasper. The company has put in place alternative plans for these guests to travel by train and motorcoach from Vancouver to Jasper.
The alert also noted that the July 18 westbound ‘Rainforest to Gold Rush’ departure from Jasper to Vancouver may be affected as well.
However, trains travelling via Kamloops on ‘First Passage to the West’ (between Vancouver and Lake Louise/Banff) and ‘Journey through the Clouds’ (between Vancouver and Jasper) are not affected by the wildfires.
The following upcoming departures are also not affected:
- July 14 – Eastbound First Passage to the West departure from Vancouver to Lake Louise and Banff
- July 14 – Eastbound Journey through the Clouds departure from Vancouver to Jasper
- July 15 – Coastal Passage from Vancouver to Seattle
- July 15 – Coastal Passage from Seattle to Vancouver
- July 16 – Westbound First Passage to the West departure from Banff and Lake Louise to Vancouver
- July 16 – Westbound Journey through the Clouds departure from Jasper to Vancouver
- July 17 – Eastbound First Passage to the West departure from Vancouver to Banff
- July 18 – Eastbound Journey Through the Clouds from Vancouver to Jasper
Clients are asked to contact Rocky Mountaineer between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT at 1-877-460-3200 for assistance.
More than 3,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes in central British Columbia. Approximately 188 wildfires were burning as of Thursday, reports Global News.
