A wildfire that was sparked behind a gas station in B.C.’s North Okanagan on Friday night led to evacuation orders for 15 addressed properties.
The District of Coldstream issued the evacuation order in the Lavington area late Friday night, along with an evacuation alert for dozens more properties.
An evacuation order means residents in those areas should leave immediately, while an evacuation alert means residents should get prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
The Regional District of North Okanagan urged all residents in the area to avoid the Noble Canyon and Becker Lake areas due to the fire, which covered an area of 66 hectares on Saturday morning.
Taylor Stewart Shantz, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service, said Friday evening that after it was discovered the fire grew aggressively, spreading through grass and nearby trees.
“We’re dealing with very dry fuels on the land base,” she said.
The District of Coldstream has issued an Evacuation Order for properties on <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy6?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BCHwy6</a> and Noble Canyon Rd in the Lavington area due to <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCWildfire?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BCWildfire</a>. This wildfire is a threat to safety. Anyone in the affected area must leave immediately. More info & map: <a href=”https://t.co/bCt0iYakZy”>https://t.co/bCt0iYakZy</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BC</a> <a href=”https://t.co/etf6kAjPcx”>pic.twitter.com/etf6kAjPcx</a>
—@EmergencyInfoBC
On Saturday, Stewart Shantz said that fire behaviour had reduced after helicopters bucketed the blaze with water overnight.
Firefighters are using multiple aircraft to help contain the blaze, and Stewart Shantz said that boaters should avoid nearby lakes this weekend, as aircraft will use them to refuel.
The information officer said the weather forecast this weekend could improve the outlook for fire crews in the Lavington area.
“We are hopeful that the forecast holds true, and that we get a little bit of precipitation Sunday, if not sooner.”
The Coquihalla Highway is now open to drivers between Hope and Meritt after the Mine Creek wildfire prompted its closure. But as Johna Baylon reports, the fire continues to burn out of control, placing much of the province under an air quality warning.
Hundreds told to leave Chilcotin area
Multiple fires in the Chilcotin area, near Anahim Lake, have led to hundreds being told to leave their homes in central B.C.
The Beef Trail Creek wildfire covered an area of 102 square kilometres northwest of Anahim Lake, and the Dusty Lake wildfire covered an area of 58 square kilometres southeast of the community, as of 2:40 p.m. PT on Saturday.
Fire information officer Mikhail Elsay said that a thicker smoke layer over both fires had reduced the temperatures and fire activity on Saturday, and winds were also limited as a result.
“We were expecting a little bit of thunderstorm activity that we were [anticipating] was going to bring gustier winds, but the smoke, again, has limited thunderstorm development which has been in our favour,” he told CBC News.
Elsay said the incoming cooler weather system is a “double-edged sword”, as it could reduce fire behaviour but also bring unsettled conditions to the region.
“We’re basically working as hard as we can to to to put a perimeter on these fires, where we can to get people back home,” he said.
Elsay said he had no timeline on when residents will be allowed back.
The wildfire is suspected to have been caused by human activity, behind the Lavington Canco gas station, and it was among nearly 150 wildfires burning across the province on Saturday morning.
