B.C. wildfire roundup: new evacuation orders and alerts

32 new wildfires broke out Thursday bringing the total number of fires burning in B.C. to more than 150. Of those, 16 are deemed significant wildfires prompting evacuation orders and alerts.

The newest evacuation order is for the municipality of West Kelowna due to the rapidly spreading Smith Creek fire.

2,500 residents were ordered out of their homes Thursday in West Kelowna as firefighters battled to keep the fire from spreading into their neighbourhood.

• West Kelowna wildfire evacuation order expanded to 2,500 residents
• Hudson's Hope fire evacuation order rescinded

An earlier order for Hudson's Hope, which saw the entire community evacuated to Fort St. John, was lifted a day later as officials determined there was no immediate risk to lives or property, but residents there remain on evacuation alert.

New fire in Kitimat

Meanwhile a new fire was reported around 7 p.m. PT Thursday in Kitimat.

Chief Administrative Officer Ron Poole says the two hectare fire was located about 2 kilometres south of Kitimat near the Kitimat River.

B.C. Forestry air tankers were already attacking it and Poole says they are awaiting the arrival of a second helicopter from Smithers.

Harrison Lake Fire

Helicopter crews continue to fight a three hectare fire west of Harrison Lake on the south side of the river.

The aerial water drops are being hampered by power nearby power lines and access to the river is currently restricted.

The fire is at the base of a steep slope and officials believe it was human-caused.

Access to the Harrison River is restricted and fire is at the base of a steep slope. Significant smoke from this fire which officials say was caused by humans.

Mount McAllister Fire

The Peace River Regional District has also ordered an evacuation alert for residents in the community of Moberly Lake and surrounding area.

The alert extends to the northernmost point of Boucher Lake Road, directly west to the Klin-Se-Za protected area, north along Carbon Creek to the southern edge of Williston Lake directly east to the boundary of Hudson's Hope

The Mount McAllister fire,which is burning out of control l00 kilometres southwest of Fort St. John and 56 kilometres west of Chetwynd, is believed to have been sparked by lightning.

It has doubled in size to 20,000 hectares.

Apex Mountain wildfire progress

The Apex Mountain fire burning in the Okanagan north of Keremeos, B.C., more than doubled in size Thursday to 313 hectares.

Residents there are on evacuation alert, but fire crews reported the fire 50 per cent contained and said good progress had been made containing the south end of the fire closest to homes.

Maka-Murrayevacuation order

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued an evacuation order inan area of the southern Nicola Valley along the CoquihallaHighway.

The evacuation order applies to approximately 30 to 35 properties in an area around Murray Lake. Residents leaving the area are being advised to shut off power and propane at their properties.

The 400 hectare Maka-Murray fire fire, which was sparked by lightning, is burning between Hope and Merritt, around 238 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

Firefighters, airtankers and helicopters have been battling the fire since it was discovered on Monday.

In response to the high fire risk, the RegionalDistrict of Okanagan-Similkameen issued a temporary fire ban, beginning today, applying toall open burning, including campfires and fireworks.

Juraevacuation alert

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen issued an evacuation alert Wednesday evening for a number of homes and properties near the Jura fire, which was discovered earlier in the day, burning southeast of Missezula Lakebetween Summerland and Princeton.

The fire wasapproximately 150 hectares just before 10 p.m. PT Thursday.

An evacuation order, should it be issued,and more information on alertswill be published on the regional district's website.

Chelaslie River wildfire spreading

Meanwhile, in B.C.'s northwest, the Regional DistrictofBulkley-Nechako hasdeclared a state of local emergencyfor the Franois/Ootsa Lake Rural and Fraser Lake Rural areas, where a wildfire inChelaslieArm grows to 25,000 hectares.

An evacuation order forTetachuckLake andChelaslieRiverhas also been expanded, throughUchuReach toIntataReach onNatalkuzLaketo the south side ofChelaslie.

An evacuation alert was also issued Wednesday for Intata Reachat the confluence of Uchu Reach, at the southern and eastern borders of theRegional District of Bulkley-Nechako Electoral Area Eto Natalkuz-500 Road in thenorth andto theKluskus Forest Service Road.

On Monday, BC Parksclosed nearbyEntiakoProvincial Park and issued an evacuation order for all cabin owners and allrecreationalusers within the park.

TheChelaslieArm wildfire, which is burning some 200 kilometres southwest of Prince George, was discovered lastTuesday and is believed to have been caused by lightning.

Campfire bans forcoast and Cariboo

On B.C.'s south coast, the fire risk is high to extreme and acampfire ban has been issued throughout B.C's South Coast and the entireKamloopsFire Centre.

The CaribooFire Centre has expanded its campfire ban, also beginning Wednesday, to cover the entire area.

The banapplies toopen fires of any size, fires with a burn registration number, industrial burning, fireworks,tikitorches, sky lanterns and burning barrels.

The bandoes not apply to stoves or portable campfire apparatus that use gas, propane or briquettes, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

In theCaribooRegional District, theEuchinikoLakes wildfire, also believed to have been sparked by lightning, has grown to cover 2,800hectares since it was discovered lastTuesday.

As of Tuesday, 120 firefighters were trying to control the blaze, with six helicopters continuing to bucket the fire to support ground crews.

Alocal state of emergency was declared in the district and an evacuation order issued for theEuchinikoLakes Ranch on Sunday.

Evacuation ordered in Alberta

Last week, threeoil and gas worker camps were evacuateddue to concerns over the spreading Red Deer Creek wildfire, which is now estimated to cover 33,400 hectares on Wednesday.

Thewildfire is within 10kilometres of the Alberta border, prompting the Municipal District ofGreenviewto issue an evacuation order.

According to B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch, 118 firefighters working around the clockhave made great progress on the fire and are continuing to build afireline.

These are the 16 wildfires listed on theB.C. Wildfire Management Branch's "wildfires of note" list as of Thursday: up from 12 Wednesday.

In the Prince George fire centre:

• 22 kmTenakihi.
• Euchiniko Lakes.
• Forres Mountain fire.
• Mount McAllisterfire.
• Mugaha fire.
• Red Deer Creek fire.
• Salmon Lake fire.
• Valley south ofMorfeeLake.

In the Kamloopsfire centre:

• Apex Mountain.
• Boot Hill
• Jura
• Maka-Murray.
• Smith Creek

In theCariboofire centre:

• Soda Creek.

In the Northwest fire centre:

• Chelaslie River

Dozens of other wildfires are also burning across the province and the Wildfire Management Branch has requested the assistance of more than 70 out-of-province personnel to help fight the fires.

TheWildfire Management Branch saysthese personnel are providingcommand and co-ordination support to fire crews on the ground, but there are currentlyno out-of-province firefighters in B.C.