Friday, August 29, 2025
BC Gov News: Province takes lead to reopen Bamfield Main Road
Friday, August 29, 2025
Our Latest News
Ḥaw̓iiḥ Council extends gratitude to the Emergency Operations Coordination Team
Youbou Route Remains Only Ground Route to Bamfield – Huu-ay-aht First Nations Welcomes Visitors
Anacla, B.C. – As the Mount Underwood Wildfire conditions continue to improve and evacuation orders and alerts are downgraded, Huu-ay-aht First Nations is pleased to share that the Youbou Route remains as the only road open and is accessible for those travelling to the region. The Lady Rose continues to be an alternate option to visit Bamfield. Visitors and community members are welcome to use this route to access Bamfield and the surrounding Huu-ay-aht lands.
The wildfire has shown positive signs of containment, allowing BC Hydro to begin assessment and repair work in the area. While power remains out, crews are on-site and actively working to restore electricity. The estimated timeframe for full power restoration is approximately a week from now, pending safe working conditions.
Although power continues to be out, businesses in Bamfield, including Huu-ay-aht Group of Businesses are welcoming visitors and have the resources to operate with power. In doing this, businesses are giving visitors the opportunity to visit while they can during the summer days and eliminate any further cancellations. We advise reaching out to individual businesses you plan on visiting to ensure they are offering full service.
“I want to express our deep gratitude to the emergency responders, BC Hydro crew, and road crews who have shown dedication to fighting the Mount Underwood Wildfire and restoring services to our community” said Huu-ay-aht Chief Councillor John Jack, ” During these difficult days, we have seen our people come together in strength and unity. It is in moments like these that we are reminded of the power of our three sacred principles, ʔiisaak (greater respect), ʔuuʔałuk (taking care of), and Hišuk ma c̕awak (everything is one), which continue to guide and ground us.”.
Huu-ay-aht First Nations continues to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as new information becomes available. In the meantime, visitors are advised to plan accordingly given the ongoing power outage and to check for the latest updates on road and service conditions before visiting.
When travelling the Youbou route, drivers must come prepared for gravel road conditions. Here are some tips to keep in mind when heading out:
- Always expect the unexpected, and give yourself more time on your trip than expected
- Make sure you familiarize yourself with the route before leaving, as cell service is unreliable
- Check in with someone when you leave and when you arrive at your destination
- Ensure you have at least one spare tire, and that you know how to change it
- Make sure your gas tank is full, so you are prepared should something go wrong
- Bring extra provisions such as snacks, water, blankets, clothing, etc
When you are on the road, remember to:
- Stay alert and focus on the road
- Always drive with your lights on
- Drive slowly and to the road conditions
- Watch out for wildlife
- Yield to industrial traffic
- Obey any traffic controls along the route
- Only stop in a safe and visible location
If you are visiting the area, please keep in mind:
- Services in Bamfield are still severely restricted
- Bamfield and Anacla communities are without power and have limited water and waste management capacity. Please be considerate of this during your visit.
- Before you leave home, make sure you confirmed your accommodation to ensure they are ready to host you. Some businesses may not have a generator or may have limited resources. It is best to know what restrictions you may be facing before you come.
- Please respect the decisions of businesses who are choosing to remain closed
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For more information:
Amanda-Lee Cunningham
Communications Manager
Huu-ay-aht First Nations
250-720-7776
communications@huuayaht.orgFor full details, visit: Youbou Route Remains Only Ground Route to Bamfield – Huu-ay-aht First Nations Welcomes Visitors
Huu-ay-aht Fishers land and sell their first Chinook in the Maa-nulth Incremental Community-based Economic Fishery.
Huu-ay-aht is pleased to share that yesterday Huu-ay-aht Fishers have landed and sold their first Chinook in the Maa-nulth Incremental Community-based Economic Fishery.
This Fishery was negotiated though the “ Me Too” Clause within the Maa-nulth Treaty. This is the first step in gaining access to economic fisheries for Maa-nulth citizen fishers.
On August 19th three HFN fishers landed fish at the offload site in Ucluelet and were cut a cheque on site for their catch.
Huu-ay-aht raises their hands to the hard work that went into this opportunity and send good luck to the fishers as they continue to catch fish in the fishery.
Left photo (left to right): Robert Dennis Sr., Stephen Smith, Kevin Peters, Larry Johnson.
Right photo: Larry Johnson with chinook salmon.
NOTICE: Indian Boarding Homes Class Action Settlement
Indian Boarding Homes Class Action Settlement
YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR COMPENSATION
Information for Potential Claimants – Primary Class Members
An agreement has been negotiated to settle a class action lawsuit against Canada for the Indian Boarding Homes Program. The Program placed Indigenous children into private boarding homes in non-Indigenous communities to attend elementary and secondary school. The Settlement Agreement obligates Canada to financially compensate Indigenous people placed in these homes through that program.
You may be eligible for compensation if you:
- are Indigenous; and
- lived in someone else’s home between September 1, 1951 and June 30, 1992 in order to attend elementary or secondary school outside your home community.
Eligible people will receive $10,000 if they were placed through the Program. Additional compensation ($10,000 to $200,000) may be available to those who experienced abuse during their time in the Program.
If you meet the eligibility criteria above, you can apply for compensation as early as August 21, 2024. The process is simple and there are people available to assist you with the application. If you think you may be eligible and would like more information or help with the compensation application, please contact: https://boardinghomesclassaction.com/contact-us/
For more information on the class action settlement, visit the Indian Boarding Homes class action website: https://boardinghomesclassaction.com/
See full document here:
2024-07-31- Summary of Indian Boarding Homes Class Action for HFN Citizens (02565153-3)
NOT LEGAL ADVICE. We are providing this notice for information purposes only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you have questions about your legal rights or entitlement, you should seek advice from a lawyer.