PEMBERTON, BC (CelebrityAccess) — Officials from Pemberton, the Lil’wat Nation and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District have announced that despite fire activity in the Pemberton Valley and surrounding regions, the festival will take place as planned.
However, officials from the three local governments are monitoring the situation closely and meeting regularly with provincial Wildlife Management Branch authorities and note that the situation remains 'dynamic.
“Safety remains our top priority. The situation is being monitored and evaluated daily. If present conditions continue, the Pemberton Music Festival can proceed safely.” says Village of Pemberton Mayor, Mike Richman.
“The Pemberton Music Festival is an important event both for our community and for the entire region,” said Chief Lucinda Phillips of the Lil’wat Nation. “Safety for our communities and for festival guests is the priority and we are pleased to see conditions improving in the past 24 hours. We will continue to work closely with our regional government partners and festival organizers to monitor the situation right through the event.
While British Columbia is facing numerous serious fires this summer, there are two major fires near Pemberton. The Boulder Creek fire is approximately 23 kilometers to the northwest of Pemberton and has been spreading, currently affecting approximately 19 square miles of forest. The Elaho fire is burning out of control approximately 67 kilometers to the west of Pemberton, and grew substantially over the weekend due to strong winds. The fire currently affecting more than 77 square miles.
Festival organizer Huka Entertainment will be making daily updates on the event, which is slated to take place July 16 – 19. – Staff Writers
