Employees at Blackwater Mine resumed work after evacuation orders related to nearby wildfires were lifted, according to Artemis Gold's July 30 quarterly update.
On July 21, evacuation orders for the Laidman Lake and Williamson Lake wildfires prompted the evacuation of all non-essential staff and contractors from the mine site to Vanderhoof. These individuals were assembled at the Vanderhoof Tourism and Cultural Centre. Some essential staff remained at the site and took necessary precautions to safeguard the asset.
On July 26, Artemis announced the lifting of the evacuation order and began a staged return of employees and contractors to the site. The company confirmed that the mine site was not affected by the wildfires.
Despite the brief evacuation, Artemis Gold stated that work at Blackwater Mine remains on track, with the first pour expected by the end of 2024.
"This month we were challenged again by wildfires in the area of the mine and I would like to recognize the Blackwater team’s efforts to safely and orderly demobilize staff upon receipt of the recent wildfire evacuation order, " Chairman and CEO of Artemis Gold Steven Dean said in the statement.
"Last week’s response to the lifting of the order and commencement of an expedient return and ramp-up to full-scale construction was a credit to our team,” he added.
Blackwater Mine is located 160 km southwest of Prince George.
