Dozen homes evacuated northwest of Kamloops

As May turns into June, the B.C. Wildfire Service has already been in action on 227 fires in the current fire season.

That’s not an unusual figure, the service’s chief fire information officer says. But what is unusual is how aggressive the current fire situation is, with several fires already posing serious challenges to firefighters.

“This has everything to do with the weather,” Kevin Skrepnek said Sunday. “Unseasonably hot and dry, six to 10 degrees hotter than usual in most places, this feels more like early July.”

There are currently 73 fires burning across the province, with a trio fires of note.

A fire about 20 square kilometres burns near Allie Lake, about 55 kilometres northwest of Kamloops. An area restriction was imposed Saturday. A dozen properties have been evacuated and another 51 are on evacuation alert. The fire is moving northeasterly, away from Allie Lake. There are 130 people fighting the fire, with the help of air tankers, 11 helicopters and 10 pieces of heavy equipment.

A 200-square-kilometre fire near Tommy Lakes, about 200 kilometres north of Fort Saint John, was also burning out of control. It has 77 firefighters on scene assisted by seven helicopters and seven pieces of heavy equipment. An evacuation order was imposed south of the fire.

Far to the southwest from Tommy Lakes, a fire about five square kilometres in size was burning at Xusum Creek, about 35 kilometres west of Lillooet and 10 kilometres north of D’Arcy. The fire was about 25 per cent contained. Residents of two properties on Highline Road were ordered to evacuate with another 30 property owners on alert.