The Williams Lake Stampede Association wants livestock owners to know they have somewhere to go if they need it for wildfire season.

Currently there are evacuation orders and alerts in areas west of Quesnel and northwest of Williams Lake due to wildfires.

As they did in 2017, the association will be opening the gates and making the grounds available for folks who need to bring large animals out of a fire danger zone.

鈥淲e all know well from 2017 how difficult and traumatic that can be,鈥� said Amber Nustad, Stampede Association general manager.

She said Court Smith, the association president, was approached to ask if the group could provide a possible site to count on for Cariboo livestock owners, as one wildfire grows west of Quesnel.

Due to the Alex Fraser Park grounds in Quesnel not being available to take extra stock this weekend because they will be hosting a rodeo, the Williams Lake Stampede grounds would be another option in the area.

In 2017, the Stampede Grounds provided an evacuation site for some livestock and their owners, and those who had to leave quickly were assisted in sourcing feed and other supplies.

They put the offer out on social media on July 10, to allow people to have a plan 鈥渏ust in case鈥� so they know where they could go if they need to.

The grounds offers small pens, some areas for larger numbers, and space for self-contained recreational vehicles. The campground nearby also has full hookups and livestock owners are asked to bring their own buckets and feed if possible.

For more information or to make arrangements, call the Stampede Association office at 250-392-6585 or 250-267-1300.

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