The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has released details about what measures are being taken in order to reopen Highway 4 at Cameron Lake next weekend.
“At this point our plan is to pull up rock mesh and have a physical barrier, so barriers or lock blocks blocking off a portion of the lane to really catch that debris from coming down,” said Susan Randle, an engineer with MOTI. “Our plan, so far is to have cranes holding the mesh so that anything coming out at height hits the mesh before it falls down the front face of those barriers.”
The Province plans to reopen Highway 4 between Chalet Road and Cathedral Grove on June 24 or 25.
It has been closed since June 6 when the Cameron Bluffs fire burned down to the highway, bringing with it falling rocks and trees.
On Friday, the fire was classified as “being held” and stands at 229 hectares.
“So, activity is quite minimal for fire behaviour, so it is a smouldering ground fire,” said Shaelee Stearns, a Fire Information Officer with the BC Wildfire Service.
“There was a bit of rain there this morning as well so there was some precipitation that does help increase the relative humidity which does also influence the fire behaviour and decrease the behaviour we might be seeing.”
106 firefighters and one helicopter continue to work on the fire.
Much of the work on the danger trees in the area has now been completed on the north flank of the fire, which is an important step in reopening the highway.
“Crews are continuing, they’ve completed that danger tree falling on that north flank of the fire there along the Highway 4 corridor so we’ve worked with Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure very closely to ensure they’re able to get in there and start their operation,” added Stearns.
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