BC Hydro says it could take up to two weeks to restore electricity to parts of the province that have been ravaged by wildfires as the utility company begins replacing hundreds of damaged power poles and transmission lines. The utility says damage assessments are ongoing as approximately 1,100 customers in the Big Bar wildfire complex area remain without electricity. Work crews have identified “significant damage” to electrical infrastructure in the area, including damage to approximately 230 distribution poles and 200 transmission poles, the company said in a statement Thursday. The areas with the most significant damage include the communities of Clinton, 70 Mile House, Cache Creek, Big Bar Lake and the Highway 97 corridor between 70 Mile House and Loon Lake, BC Hydro said. “Active wildfire conditions continue to restrict access to some areas, preventing crews from fully assessing all affected infrastructure,” the statement said. “With fire activity ongoing, there remains strong potential for additional damage, and the full extent of impacts is not yet known.” Large sections of infrastructure near Clinton, where homes have been lost to the fire, will have to be fully rebuilt before power is restored. “Subject to safe access and no significant changes in wildfire conditions, BC Hydro’s preliminary estimate is that Clinton could be re-energized within approximately two weeks,” the statement said. Brunswick complex outages Meanwhile, power restoration work is set to begin this week in the Brunswick complex fire area, where approximately 100 customers near the communities of Boston Bar, Hell’s Gate and China Bar remain without electricity due to fire damage. Crews have identified about 34 damaged transmission and distribution poles on the west side of the Fraser River, along with five additional distribution poles that need replacement near Ainslie Creek on the east side, according to the utility. Access to the damaged infrastructure has been restricted by ongoing wildfire activity, but BC Hydro expects crews to begin restoration work for the roughly 100 customers on July 30, it said. Even as fires continue to threaten properties throughout much of the province’s southern Interior, BC Hydro says the provincial electricity system remains stable. In addition to restoration work, hydro crews are also supporting firefighting efforts by clearing roadways, removing hazardous trees and improving access routes for first responders and other critical services. BC Hydro says customers who have been forced out of their homes for five days or more may be eligible for an automatic bill credit for electricity used during that period.
