TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. -- A forest fire in northeastern B.C. has more than quadrupled in size in 24 hours and threatens to singe Alberta's boundary.
Information officer Jill Kelsh says the blaze about 60 kilometres southeast of Tumbler Ridge has grown to 3,100 hectares from the estimated 650 hectares on Tuesday, sending out a massive plume of smoke.
Kelsh says the main concerns for crews are keeping the fire from oil and gas wellheads in the area and trying to stop it from spreading across the boundary into Alberta.
About 200 people have been evacuated from two oil and gas camps in the area while the number of personnel attacking the fire is expected to grow to 100 by the end of Wednesday.
Kelsh says those fighting the blaze are seeing Rank 3 and Rank 4 fire behaviour, which means the flames are growing up to the tops of
trees.
While there is rain forecast for further north in B.C., that isn't the case for the Tumbler Ridge area, where the fire is expected to grow in the coming days.
