May long weekend travellers in B.C reminded to exercise caution

British Columbians planning to travel over the Victoria Day long weekend are being urged to take precautions and stay informed about wildfire activity and road conditions.

In a press conference Friday, B.C. Emergency Management MinisterBowinn Ma urged travellers tostay away fromwildfire-prone areas,encouraging them to "explore"other parts of the province this May long weekend.

"We want people to come here to British Columbia and we want British Columbians to explore the province ... all we are asking is if you are planning a trip, know before you go ... be aware of the hazards."

Crews are battling severalwildfires in northeastern B.C., including theParker Lake blaze near Fort Nelson and the larger Patry Creek fire, a holdover blaze from last year that's burning as close as 25 kilometres north of the city.

WATCH |B.C. isopen for tourists, says Emergency Management MinisterBowinn Ma:

B.C. says it's open for tourists despite wildfires in northeast

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Although wildfires are burning near Fort Nelson, Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says travellers are welcome in other regions. "British Columbia is a huge province," she said.

"Now is not the time to visit the area around Fort Nelson, but there are plenty of other areas to explore," Ma said.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is also stressing the need for travellers to stay updated on the latest weather and road conditions as the Coquihalla Highway, or Highway 5,received a fresh round of snowfall early Friday morning.

An Environment Canada spokesperson told CBC News some slushy conditions are expected on the highway between Hope and Merritt.

The ministry is urging motorists to plan ahead and check DriveBC fortravel advisories.

Increase in impaired drivers and high-risk drivers: B.C. Highway Patrol

The Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC)saysthree people are killed and 455 people are injured in crashes in B.C., on average, over the Victoria Day long weekend, according to data collected from 2018 to 2022.Speed wasa top contributing factor in thosecrashes.

In a statementlast week, B.C. Highway Patrol said it will join forceswith ICBC to target impaired drivers andexcessive speeders throughout the month of May, but especially during the long weekend.

"This May long weekend may also see an increase in impaired drivers and high-risk drivers, which could mean a higher number of collisions, including fatal collisions," the statement reads.

YVR and B.C. Ferries gear up for busy long weekend

Long weekend preparations at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) moved into high gear on Friday.

According to the Vancouver Airport Authority, YVRis expecting more than 300,000passengers between Fridayand Monday, an 11 per cent increase compared to last year.

It says during peak travel times, staff will be stationed at information counters throughout the airport, and digital tools are alsoavailable to help people reach their gate on time.

TheVictoria Day longweekend is thethirdbusiest travel weekend of the year on B.C. Ferries, according toReet Sidhu, the corporation's senior communicationsadviser.

Last year, the ferry servicefaced a number of challenges, includingstaffing shortages, last-minute cancellations and long sailing waits.

Sidhusaid B.C. Ferries has increased sailings, reduced fees and made staffing changes.

WATCH | B.C. Ferries preparing for summer surge:

B.C. Ferries bracing for summer traffic after tumultuous year

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B.C. Ferries announced a host of measures on Wednesday, ahead of the company's busy summer season. The changes are meant to deal with operational challenges related to staffing shortages and vessel maintenance issues. As Sohrab Sandhu reports, the company says it is confident in its preparations and it's looking forward to welcoming a record number of passengers this summer.

She said 350 news sailings have been introduced,includinga new early morning sailing from Victoria to Vancouver, and a 13 per cent increase in sailings from Vancouver to the Sunshine Coast.

"We have also added 600 new staff for this summer," she added.

After public outcry over the number of cancellations, B.C.'s transportation ministry announced in October 2023 thatit planned tofine the ferry servicefor cancelled sailings on major routes.

The ministry saidit will charge a penalty of $7,000 per sailing on major routes and $1,000 per sailing on minor routes if service sailings are cancelled due to crew shortages.