B.C. wildfire hits tourism as provincial parks close

The Canadian Press

A wildfire burns on a mountain near Ashcroft, B.C., late Friday July 7, 2017. More than 3,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes in central British Columbia. , THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Dozens of provincial parks in central British Columbia have been shut down due to wildfires, threatening the tourism industry, one of the province's top economic drivers.

The B.C. government lists more than 60 provincial parks that are closed as the wildfires burn through thousands of hectares of forest.

The fires have also forced officials to close roads, including a part of the TransCanada Highway near Cache Creek, as well as the airport and the regional tourism office in Williams Lake.

Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of B.C., says the fires are affecting only certain areas of the province and he advises visitors to call ahead to find out whether it is safe to visit.

He says the B.C. tourism industry posted record revenue of $15.7 billion last year and employs about 130,000 people.