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Road closures, detours near Zeballos due to hazards from last summer’s wildfires

BC Ministry of Transportation diverts traffic near Zeballos due to “rockfall and debris.”
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The province of BC has closed the main roads to the North Island village of Zeballos due to hazard related to summer forest fires.

In a news release issued today, the BC government said that a temporary alternate route has been set up north of town while Zeballos Mainline Road/Maquinna Avenue, which is north of the Sugarloaf Bridge, will be closed to all traffic until further notice.

“Work has started to remove significant rockfall and debris from the road and is expected to continue throughout the winter,” the ministry continued, “during the closure, traffic will be diverted to nearby Parkway Road and Zeballos Forest Service Road. Signs and closed gates will be in place on both ends of the closure to notify locals and visitors.”

In the event of an emergency or in case of a tsunami warning, the road will be immediately opened again.

RELATED: Rain douses fires but Zeballos threatened with landslides

Lightning storms sparked wildfires across the North Island on Aug. 11, that crew to the point where the village ordered the evacuation of six homes. Residents watched as the fire grew to an estimated 168 hectares by the end of the month, covering the town in smoke.