Chilanko Forks is an unincorporated settlement as well as a First Nations community of the Tsilhqot'in people, located on the north bank of the

Chilanko River The Chilanko River is a river in the Chilcotin region of the Central Interior region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The name of the river derives from a Chilcotin word meaning "many beaver river". Course The Chilanko River flo ...

just northeast of

Tatla Lake Tatla Lake is a freshwater lake in the West Chilcotin area of British Columbia, Canada, situated just east of the community of Tatla Lake, British Columbia. This long, narrow lake, known for good kokanee fishing, is part of the Fraser River dr ...

, and immediately south of

Puntzi Lake Puntzi Lake is a lake in the Chilcotin District of the British Columbia Interior, Central Interior of British Columbia. It is located on the western side of the upper Chilcotin River to the northeast of Tatla Lake, and is connected to the Chilcoti ...

, in the

Chilcotin District The Chilcotin () region of British Columbia is usually known simply as "the Chilcotin", and also in speech commonly as "the Chilcotin Country" or simply Chilcotin. It is a plateau and mountain region in British Columbia on the inland lee of the Co ...

of the

Central Interior of British Columbia Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

. Chilanko Forks is the location of the offices of the

Alexis Creek First Nation Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–197 ...

History

From its opening in 1907 until its closing in 1918, the post office at this location was spelled "Chilanco Forks", as was also the spelling on

Joseph Trutch Sir Joseph William Trutch, (18 January 1826 – 4 March 1904) was an United Kingdom, English-born Canadians, Canadian engineer, surveying, surveyor and politician who served as first Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Early life and ...

's 1871 map of British Columbia. The community was once also the off base living area for a US airbase (917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron -

Pinetree Line The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across the northern United States and southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic and Pacific coasts. ...

1952-1963) then, after the US withdrawal, an RCAF base (Squadron 55 - 1963-1966). Sawmill workers (1963–1971) also lived there until mill operations ceased though steady changes in logging operations meant constantly fluctuating population numbers for Chilanko Forks, at least along the roads near to, or leading to, the airbase. Beginning in 1963 Pinnette and Therrien of Williams Lake began logging operations around nearby Puntzi Lake and a portable mill was used throughout the area. Eventually sited at the extreme eastern end of the lake, the operation ran until August 1964 when it relocated to a spot about fifty kilometers back north into the bush at Chezacut. Following a particularly severe winter, with temperatures as extreme as 70 degrees F below zero, Pinnette and Therrien transferred their operation back to Chilanko Forks. The mill was then situated at the junction of the old highway and the base access road near Skinner Bridge (a name which has since evolved into Skinny Bridge - even though the bridge itself no longer exists). Relocation was undertaken in March 1965. It was at this time that Pinnette and Therrien phased out its logging operation in the area in favour of contracting the work to Illnicki Logging of Williams Lake. In 1966 a planer mill was added to the operation. In 1971 operations ceased following a mill fire. Each of the above changes/developments had significant effects on the size of the population of Chilanko Forks. The size of the aboriginal population was not impacted by these events. Currently the area nearest the airstrip is clustered along two main roads that lead off the highway, and other various loops and a branch road while one of the roads originally surveyed in 1963 has (East of Puntzi Airport Road) reverted to bush. Outlying ranches and the main Aboriginal settlement are important. There has been some expansion near Redstone Reserve and a satellite community has grown up just east of the main area (situated on what was once a gathering place and ball field). Dial phone systems began operating in the community on July 27, 1988. The current Chilanko Forks 'centre' has been relocated (there is a cut off loop from the highway that passes the old location).

Climate

Chilanko Forks has a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...

in spite of its low latitude and position far to the west on the North American mainland. The climate of Chilanko Forks, and indeed much of the Chilcotin experiences extremely cold temperatures from time to time. Although the average temperature during the winter would be considered mild on the Prairies, extreme cold snaps can drop the temperature down to values not typically found south of the Yukon. The weather station at the nearby Puntzi airbase recorded in December 1968. Even

Yellowknife Yellowknife (; Dogrib: ) is the capital, largest community, and only city in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, about south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the ...

has never been this cold. Due to the very dry air, clear skies, lack of wind, and geography, Chilanko Forks has one of the highest diurnal temperature variations in Canada, and the highest variation in British Columbia. The diurnal temperature variation in both February and May is the highest in Canada. The all-time high temperature of was set on June 29, 2021.

Name

"Chilanko" means "many beaver river" in the

Chilcotin language ''Nenqayni Ch’ih'' (lit. "the Native way") (also Chilcotin, Tŝilhqotʹin, Tsilhqot’in, Tsilhqút’in) is a Northern Athabaskan language spoken in British Columbia by the Tsilhqot’in people. The name ''Chilcotin'' is derived from the Chi ...

References

* * {{Reflist, 30em Tsilhqot'in communities Populated places in the Chilcotin Unincorporated settlements in British Columbia

History

Climate

Name

See also

References