Vancouver Island campground reopens after bear moves on

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

Nearly a week after it was evacuated and shut down due to the presence of a food-conditioned black bear, a popular campground on southern Vancouver Island has reopened.

BC Parks closed French Beach Provincial Park, located west of Sooke, on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 26 after the bear tore into three tents and tried to enter an occupied vehicle.

All campsite reservations through the weekend were cancelled.

“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 after the evacuation.

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

The BC Conservation Officer Service put out two bear traps in the park, and patrolled the area through Sunday night, a spokesperson for BC Parks told CTV News on Monday.

A spokesperson for the BCCOS told CTV News on Thursday that if the bear was captured, it would not be a suitable candidate for relocation and would need to be euthanized.

However, the bear was never caught.

“During this time, no bears were observed in the park or entered the traps. Wildlife cameras set up in key locations in the campground confirmed there was no presence of bears,” BC Parks wrote.

As it is expected the bear has moved on and is no longer in the park, French Beach reopened to the public on Monday, as previously planned.

BC Parks said it and the BCCOS will continue to monitor the area, and that park rangers will be ensuring all campers and park users properly manage their wildlife attractants.