I grew up on Oriole Way, a residential street near the centre of Barrière, British Columbia. Barrière is a small town in the North Thompson Valley, surrounded by mountains, forests, and the North Thompson and Barrière Rivers. Growing up, I was familiar with the rivers, forests, and wildlife around town, but I never really considered how much the environment influenced Barrière’s development. Looking into the history of the area, I found that the natural landscape has played a major role in how people have lived and worked in the valley.

The North Thompson Valley is part of the traditional territory of the Simpcw people, who are part of the Secwepemc Nation. The Simpcw have lived throughout this territory since time immemorial, using the rivers and surrounding forests for fishing, hunting, and gathering. Salmon were an important food source, and the rivers played an important role in everyday life. The Simpcw also travelled throughout their territory depending on the season, using different areas for hunting, fishing, and gathering plants.

Growing up in Barrière, I had opportunities to learn about some of these practices through activities with the nearby Indigenous community of Chu Chua. During elementary school, we were invited to watch the salmon run and learn about the importance of the river. We also went into the forest near our school to learn about different plants and their uses. I remember these activities because they were some of the few opportunities we had to learn about the area’s history outside of a classroom. Looking back, they also showed me how much knowledge of the local environment was passed down through generations.

European settlers began arriving in the North Thompson Valley during the nineteenth century, particularly through the fur trade and gold prospecting. The name Barrière is believed to have come from French Canadian fur traders who had difficulty crossing the Barrière River. As more people settled in the valley, farming and logging became important industries. The rivers provided water for agriculture, while the surrounding forests supplied timber for construction and eventually local mills.

Agriculture continues to be a large part of the area surrounding Barrière. Many local farms raise cattle and grow hay and corn for feed. Because summers in the valley can be hot and dry, irrigation is important for maintaining crops. Farms located near the North Thompson River have an advantage because they can access water for irrigation more easily, while farms farther away may need water transferred from a dam. Land that was once covered by natural vegetation has been cleared and maintained as fields and pasture, changing the appearance of the valley considerably.

Transportation also played a role in Barrière’s development. According to the District of Barriere’s Official Community Plan, the railway reached the area in 1914, followed by a road connecting Kamloops and Clearwater in 1932. Highway 5 was completed in 1970, making travel through the valley much easier. These developments made Barrière more accessible and contributed to the expansion of residential areas. My neighbourhood reflects the prosperity of the 1970s, with many of its houses being built during this period. The development of these residential areas also meant that more land was cleared to accommodate new roads, houses, and businesses.

Logging has been one of Barrière’s main industries for generations. The forests surrounding the community have provided timber for local mills, and many residents have worked in logging or related industries. Growing up, I regularly saw logging trucks driving through town, and several families I knew worked in the industry. However, logging has also changed the surrounding environment. Forested areas have been cleared for timber, and roads have been constructed to access areas that were previously difficult to reach.

One of the largest changes to Barrière’s environment happened during the 2003 McLure wildfire. The fire began on July 30 and eventually burned approximately 26,420 hectares, damaging or destroying 72 homes and nine businesses. Around 3,800 residents from Barrière, McLure, and Louis Creek were evacuated. The fire also destroyed the Tolko sawmill at Louis Creek, which had been a major employer in the area. Although the wildfire happened before I was born, I grew up seeing its effects. Large sections of the mountainsides surrounding Barrière are still visibly affected by the fire, and some areas have yet to grow back into mature forests. Since I had always known the landscape this way, I never thought much about how different it must have looked before 2003.

Wildlife is also a regular part of living in Barrière. Deer frequently wander through residential streets, eat from gardens and fruit trees, and sometimes give birth to their fawns near people’s homes. Some residents feed them, which has made many deer comfortable around people. However, deer are also frequently hit by vehicles along the highway. Although residential development has changed parts of their habitat, deer continue to live throughout town, often using maintained fields and yards.

The 2003 wildfire has also affected how residents prepare for future fires. Barrière has emergency preparedness resources and a FireSmart program to help residents reduce wildfire risks. Growing up, I noticed that some homeowners installed rooftop sprinkler systems or kept water totes and buckets near their driveways. Many residents also maintain their lawns and vegetation throughout the summer. These precautions are fairly common in the area, especially considering the town’s history with wildfire.

Before researching Barrière’s environmental history, I mostly thought of the surrounding landscape as something that had always been there. However, the area has changed considerably through Indigenous land use, European settlement, farming, logging, transportation, and wildfire. Although my neighbourhood is now an established residential area, the rivers, forests, and wildlife remain a noticeable part of everyday life. Learning more about these changes has helped me understand the history behind the environment I grew up in.