Strong gusts forecast near Lytton, B.C., as wildfire remains out of control

Overcast skies with a chance of showers are shifting to sun in the forecast for British Columbia's Fraser Canyon, where crews are battling an out-of-control wildfire just west of the village of Lytton.

Environment Canada says there's a 60 per cent chance of showers in the area, with winds gusting up to 70 km/h, but the winds will slow to 30 km/h by Tuesday and the sun will be shining for the rest of the week with daytime temperatures hitting about 34 C.

The out-of-control Nohomin Creek blaze has destroyed at least six properties and forced more than 100 people from their homes on the west side of the Fraser River.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the fire, which spans about 18.5 square kilometres, was "holding very well"on the north and south flanks, but the flames were pushing west toward the Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park.

He told a news conference Monday that about 100 firefighters were battling the blaze, calling it the first real wildfire of note in B.C. so far this season.

Lytton First Nation deputy chief John Haugensays the park has significant meaning for people in the Indigenous community.

"It contains a lot of our artwork in the pictographpanels, and there's some petroglyphwork there as well," Haugen said Mondayon CBC's Radio West."There's just a lot of culture and tradition that is deeply embedded in that park that has been here for millennia."

The B.C. Wildfire Service said flames were moving west over the weekend, but winds on Sunday fuelled growth on the southern flankacross the river but closer toLytton, which is about150kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

Haugensaid he's optimistic the fire will stay away fromthe cultural features in the park, thanks tothe fire management plan that the B.C. Wildfire Service did several years ago, but he will be watching the weather.

Recovery is just beginning inLytton, which was mostly wiped out by a wildfire one year ago.

WATCH | B.C. Wildfire Service gives an update on the Nohomin Creek fire:

Fire near Lytton, B.C., 'emotional' for firefighters, wildfire workers, official says

2 years ago

Duration 3:36

A year after a massive wildfire destroyed much of Lytton, B.C., firefighters and other wildfire workers are contending with another blaze in the area. The situation is challenging and emotional, said Jean Strong, fire information officer for the BC Wildfire Service.

Mike Flannigan,B.C. research chair in predictive services, emergency management and fire science at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, says the Lytton area is prone to high winds andhot, dry conditions thathelp the fire spread.

"This is an area where the fire danger is high. And if you get ignition ... then at times you only have 15, 20 minutes to get on that fire before it gets out of control," he told CBC's Daybreak North.

Flannigan said increased fire danger is likely coming for the rest of the province, as the forecast gets warmer and drier in the coming days.

There's also concern about a nearby spot fire found early Sunday near the start of the Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park walking path, partially closing the park.

An initial attack crew and 10LyttonFirst Nation firefighters patrolled the walking path overnight, after crews built a wet line around the hot spot and monitored for further spread.

The wildfire service says more than 80 people have been assigned to the Nohomin Creek fire, backed by four water tenders, 10 helicopters and other operational and support crews.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing.