More evacuations in wildfire-weary British Columbia
Thompson-Nicola Regional District declares state of emergency
More people have been forced to flee their homes as wildfires continue to burn across British Columbia.
A rapidly moving fire near Monte Lake, east of Kamloops, prompted the Thompson-Nicola Regional District to declare a local state of emergency and issue two evacuation orders Wednesday night covering about 60 properties.
BC Wildfire Service information officer Rachel Witt said the fire had burned about one square kilometre and crews were responding with all available resources.
“We currently have air support as well as ground support assigned to this incident,” she said, confirming homes are at risk.
There is no word if any structures have been lost.
Other properties along the eastern shore of Monte Lake, as well as several north and west of the community, are on evacuation alert, which means residents may need to leave at a moment’s notice.
Evacuees have been told to head to Kamloops, where thousands of others have taken refugee as more than 150 fires burn across the province.
Officials with the BC Wildfire Service have warned that persistent hot, dry weather in southern parts of the province is likely to make the already nasty fire situation worse in coming weeks.
Robert Turner with Emergency Management BC said the relentless fire conditions have taken a toll on fire crews, volunteers and the approximately 19,100 people who are still displaced from their homes.
Most of the evacuees have fled to Kamloops and Prince George, and Turner said there is more support coming for the beleaguered communities.