City of 21,000 on evacuation alert due to B.C. wildfire
An entire city in B.C.'s Peace region has been placed on evacuation alert due to the threat from a wildfire.
Residents of Fort St. John, a city with a population of roughly 21,000, have been advised to prepare for the possibility that they will have to flee their homes due to the danger posed by the Stoddart Creek Wildfire. The blaze -- which is suspected to be human-caused and sparked Saturday -- was estimated at 13,000 hectares Monday.
"An evacuation alert has been issued to prepare you to evacuate your premises or property should it be found necessary. Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however, you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions," the alert says.
The BC Wildfire Service explained, in social media posts, that the weather forecast is cause for significant concern.
A cold dry front is forecast to track southward this afternoon from Fort Nelson towards Fort St. John, causing winds to shift and increase. These strong winds could produce erratic, unpredictable fire behaviour. Increased smoke is also expected," the service said.
Evacuation orders were issued for Blueberry River First Nations and Doig River First Nation. A number of small communities have also been ordered to evacuate. Those are: Charlie Lake, Montney, Rose Prairie, North Pine, Coffee Creek, Buick Creek, Prespatou, Peejay, Nig Creek, Altona, Osborn, Murdale, and Pineview.
A special weather statement is in effect throughout the region due to heat and an air quality advisory is in effect due to wildfire smoke.
Over the weekend, the Peace River Regional District declared a state of local emergency and issued evacuation orders for dozens of properties in the vicinity of the Stoddart Creek fire on Sunday.
The district also issued an evacuation order for the area around the Donnie Creek and Tommy Lakes wildfires, though it says the area is sparsely populated and mainly used by forestry and oil and gas workers.
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.