Vancouver Island campground evacuated after bear rips into tents, tries to enter occupied vehicle

French Beach Provincial Park, located west of Sooke, was evacuated and closed to visitors on Wednesday. (CTV News)

A popular park and campground on southern Vancouver Island has been evacuated and closed after a food-conditioned black bear tore into three tents and tried to enter an occupied vehicle.

French Beach Provincial Park, located west of Sooke, was evacuated and closed to visitors on Wednesday afternoon after the bear entered the area that morning.

The park, including all day-use, camping and hiking areas, will remain closed until Monday, with park operators cancelling all campsite reservations through the weekend.

"The closure was implemented to protect the public from the imminent threat that the bear presented," a spokesperson for BC Parks said in a statement Thursday.

"BC Parks does not take these management decisions lightly and regrets the impact this closure has had on vacationers at this busy time," the spokesperson added. "Visitor safety is of utmost importance in these potentially high-risk situations."

Rob Gardner was biking through the park around 4 p.m. Wednesday when he felt something was amiss.

"I noticed no one was at the beach, the day parking was empty and the camping area was almost empty but the sites all said reserved," he told CTV News.

Then he saw a truck carrying a live bear trap circling through the campsites.

"When I exited the park there were multiple park operator trucks and staff setting up barricades," he said. "One operator told me he was called in on his day off to help with the situation."

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service confirmed it has set up a trap in the area after the bear ripped into three tents, including one that was occupied by a camper, and tried to enter an occupied vehicle.

"Based on the bear's behaviour, it's not a suitable candidate for relocation and will be euthanized once captured," a spokesperson for the service told CTV News.

An aerial view of French Beach Provincial Park's coastline on July 27, 2023. (CTV News)

Angelika Good was staying in a motorhome at the park with her husband and young daughter on Wednesday while on vacation from Switzerland.

They had gone to Sooke to restock their supplies when Good received an email from BC Parks saying the campground was being evacuated and no one was allowed in.

"We were staying there and had to figure out how to get another campground," Good said. "I was really surprised that it's just shut down immediately."

The family spent the night at another campsite in Sooke, and on Thursday were allowed to retrieve their towels and other belongings from French Beach park staff.

CAMPSITE REFUNDS

German tourist Thomas Luehrmann spent much of Wednesday at the park's beach but left before the evacuation. He enjoyed it so much that he returned on Thursday, only to be turned away.

"Unfortunately it's closed and we can't get in. We would have loved to stay there for three or four hours and spend some time at the beach," Luehrmann said.

"We definitely don't want to encounter an aggressive bear."

Those with reservations for the campground will receive automatic refunds, according to BC Parks. The agency said it could reopen the park before Monday if the bear is located.

"Park staff provided visitors with information about the closure and suggestions for other possible camping locations," the agency said.

"China Beach and Goldstream provincial parks were 100 per cent occupied, so unavailable for the displaced campers."