A Quesnel man on evacuation order was killed by a tree he attempted to cut down for firewood.
RCMP said the incident occurred Sunday just before 5 p.m. on a rural road about 60 kms southwest of Quesnel where forest fires are closing in on homes.
"Our investigation determined that a 52-year-old resident of Quesnel had been struck by a falling tree while falling trees for firewood," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Gary Clark-Marlow. "The incident occurred on crown land adjacent to property owned by the victim. The couple attended their property, learned of the evacuation order and then left their property. They decided to stop on the way back to Quesnel to cut firewood. They were still within the evacuation order area where the mishap occurred."
The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
"This incident is clearly tragic. While it was not specifically linked to the fire situation, it required first responders to enter an evacuation area to deal with the matter," said Clark-Marlow. "The police and civil authorities request that when persons are served an evacuation order, or become aware of their being in an evacuation area, they should leave immediately by the most direct, but safe, route possible. By staying in a dangerous area, they may find themselves trapped behind a fire with no means of escape."
