Thousands evacuate as British Columbia wildfire grows

Victoria: Canadian authorities are urging all remaining residents in the northeastern part of the province of British Columbia to leave immediately, despite improving weather conditions, after thousands have already been evacuated due to a fast-growing wildfire.

The blaze, which started Friday, almost doubled in size the following day, reaching about 1,700ha. BC Wildfire Service maps showed the fire burning just a few kilometres west of Fort Nelson’s city limits.

Online footage shared by locals showed thick plumes of smoke rising high into the sky with houses in the foreground. In some photos, haze seemed to cover wide areas.

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nation issued a joint statement warning people staying behind that “emergency medical services are not available, nor are groceries or other amenities.”

The municipality mayor, Rob Fraser, said most of the 3,500 residents in and around Fort Nelson, BC, have been evacuated, adding that police were going door to door to ensure everyone got out.

He said the Parker Lake fire is one of three major wildfires near Fort Nelson, located in the far northeastern corner of British Columbia, about 1,600km from Vancouver.

Health authorities said Fort Nelson General Hospital has been safely evacuated and closed until further notice.

Resident Bud Streeper posted a video update from the area on Saturday, saying that the winds that had whipped the Parker Lake wildfire into exponential growth on Friday night diminished overnight, reducing fire activity around the town.

The high winds pushed smoke from the blaze into parts of neighbouring Alberta on Saturday, putting the city of Edmonton under an air quality advisory with hazard levels rated at 10-plus – or “very high risk” – forecast.

Meteorologists are not anticipating rain and have advised people to stay indoors.