Photo: Steve Tobias

Residents forced from their homes by a wildfire burning north of Princeton will be allowed to return on Saturday morning.

Most of the mandatory evacuation orders will be lifted as of 10 a.m. July 22.

“Highway 5A will remain closed, but local residents north of Summers Creek Rd. with clearance letters supplied by the Regional District will be allowed to go back to their properties,” information officer Cameron Baughen said.

“Highway 5A is expected to be reopened at 10:00 am on Monday July 24th, pending no change to wildfire conditions over the weekend.”

A small mandatory evacuation order will remain in effect for 17 properties along the south end of Summers Creek Rd., while the northern portion of the road will remain closed due to the potential of falling trees and unstable rock slopes.

The community of Missezula Lake will also be downgraded to an advisory evacuation alert at 10 a.m. Saturday as well, but Summers Creek Rd. will remain closed. Access to Missezula Lake will only be through unmaintained logging roads accessible from north of the community.

All homes removed from mandatory Evacuation will remain on an advisory evacuation alert, while all properties near the fire remain under a local state of emergency.

Residents along Highway 5A north of Summers Creek Rd can get a clearance letter for their property from the Princeton Emergency Support Services reception centre at the Riverside Community Centre at 148 Old Hedley Road, open from 8 am to 8 pm on Saturday and 8 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

The B.C. Wildfire achieved 90 per cent containment of the fire, as of Friday morning.