Nearly 18,000 BC Hydro customers lost power during East Kootenay wildfires
East Kootenay power outage hits 18,000 after wildfire damage See which communities were affected and how crews restored service fast
B.C. Hydro said nearly 18,000 customers in parts of the East Kootenay region lost electricity on Saturday evening after wildfire damage affected its power system. The outage hit communities including Golden, Parson, Radium Hot Springs, Athalmer, Fairmont Hot Springs, and Canal Flats.
By Sunday night, service had mostly been restored. The outage happened while the nearby Wait Creek wildfire was forcing evacuations and creating difficult conditions for emergency crews and residents.
Local officials said the loss of power affected tourism, closed businesses, and made fuel pumps and some water systems harder to operate. B.C. Hydro said some transmission structures will need to be replaced, and crews worked to rebuild damaged lines serving Golden and Invermere.