A growing wildfire in British Columbia’s Fraser Canyon has forced further evacuation alerts and the closure of a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway.
The province’s transportation website, Drive BC, says the Brunswick Creek fire has forced the closure of Highway 1 between Boston Bar Station Road and Ainslie Road North.
The closure comes after new figures from the BC Wildfire Service show that the fire burning near Boston Bar, B.C., has grown to 18 square kilometres as of Tuesday afternoon.
The closure coincides with an evacuation alert from the Fraser Valley Regional District covering 48 properties north of Boston Bar, along both sides of the Fraser River.
B.C.’s Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness says about 150 properties are now under evacuation order and about 255 properties are under evacuation alert.
BC Wildfire Service says in an update Tuesday afternoon that it expected gusty winds throughout the day.
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“The fire is expected to become more active with windy conditions, especially in areas where wind and steep slopes align,” it says.
The service says groundcrews, supported by heavy equipment and aviation resources, including helicopters, are responding to the fire.
“Groundcrews are conducting direct attack and assisting structure protection operations on the northern flank of the fire,” it says. “Groundcrews are also working with heavy equipment to create a fuel break south of the fire.”
The update says that multiple local fire departments from the region are supporting measures to protect homes.
The Brunswick Creek wildfire, which is believed to be caused by human activity, remains out of control after first being discovered on July 2.
Evacuation orders for the fire include three under the jurisdiction of the Fraser Valley Regional District: one for the Boothroyd Indian Band, another for Boston Bar First Nation and a third for Canyon Alpine.
An evacuation alert is also in place for Boston Bar itself.
Attila Banhegyi was ordered to leave his home in North Bend with the Brunswick Creek fire burning nearby, and said Tuesday that residents are concerned about a forecast that calls for blowing northeast winds toward their community.
The fire comes just days after the fifth anniversary of the blaze that killed two people and burned much of the Village of Lytton, about 45 kilometres north of North Bend in the Fraser Canyon.
Banhegyi says residents don’t want to lose their homes and become what he calls “Lytton 2.0.”
Environment Canada continued an air quality alert on Tuesday for the Fraser Canyon and east to the Cariboo region, although the advisory was lifted for the Fraser Valley.
In addition to poor air quality and reduced visibility, the forecaster says those with lung and heart conditions, people who are pregnant, infants, young children and people over 65 and older may be more affected because of the smoke.
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