The last of the evacuees are heading home.
Since various wildfire alerts and orders have been lifted in Williams Lake and in other areas in the Cariboo region, most of the area residents remaining in Prince George are ready to make their way home.
"We have about 20 to 40 evacuees ready to go home after alerts were rescinded," said Michael Kellett, spokesperson for the City of Prince George. "We had two people leave on the bus this morning and others leaving will be eligible to take the Greyhound bus. Now that there aren't many left, we will make sure they get home on a case-by-case basis."
Activity has died down at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre where evacuees could register after the College of new Caledonia first began accepting evacuees.
About 10,676 evacuees were registered during the entire crisis, making Prince George their temporary home for over a month.
The city supported evacuees by providing such services as lodging and medical assistance.
"It was an incredible time," Kellet said. "The Canada Winter Games brought in 10,000 people and the city prepared for over five years. Here, we only had a couple days but everything worked out incredibly well."
According to Kellett, the reviews have been amazing.
"Evacuees have been so thankful and the people of Prince George really stepped up."
Northern Health is working with Interior Health to return Williams Lake patients home.
"Assisted care and home care patients have been living at UNBC dorm and they are super excited to be going home," said Andrea Palmer, spokesperson for Northern Health.
The phased return of evacuated clients, residents and patients began on Thursday with community and assisted living clients from the UNBC residences and other Northern Health facilities where they have been receiving care in recent weeks.
Northern Health facilities and programs in Prince George and Quesnel have been providing care and services for more than 200 patients and residents evacuated from Williams Lake. Gateway Lodge accommodated 90 additional residents and another 50 assisted living and home care clients stayed in residences at UNBC.
"It could not have been easy for these people. They came here in such a rush, during frightening conditions. We want to make sure they get home calmly and safely," Palmer said.
Over the next few weeks, evacuees with higher care needs such as long-term, acute care and hemodialysis patients, will return in coordination with Interior Health's resumption of services.
"We are happy to work with Interior Health to make sure everything is ready for the patients when they arrive home," Palmer said.
