Drone affecting efforts to fight wildfire burning in B.C. Interior, crews say
A wildfire burning south of Lytton in B.C.'s Interior remained out of control Saturday, and fire crews said a drone sighting in the area has hampered their efforts.
The presence of the drone halted air operations on the south side of the fire, according to posts from the BC Wildfire Service on Twitter.
"This activity is extremely dangerous and poses a significant safety risk to personnel," the fire service said in its tweets. "If a drone collides with firefighting aircraft, the consequences could be deadly."
Drone operators must keep their devices away from wildfires, according to the service. Those who fail to stay out of the restricted airspace - which is a radius of five nautical miles around the fire to an altitude of 3,000 feet - can be fined as much as $100,000 and face up to a year of jail time, the wildfire service says.
The George Road fire is burning roughly seven kilometres south of Lytton, adjacent to Highway 1. As of Saturday morning, it was approximately 250 hectares in size, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
The fire is classified as "out of control" and two evacuation alerts have been issued as a result of it.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued an evacuation alert for 10 residences in Electoral Area I (Blue Sky Country). A list of addresses is available on the district's website.
The Lytton First Nation has also issued an evacuation alert for IR 20 Kitzowit, which is located west of the fire. Details on the Lytton First Nation evacuation are posted on the BC Wildfire Service website.
Residents of an area under evacuation alert are advised to be prepared to leave their homes in case it is upgraded to an evacuation order.
According to the wildfire service, the George Road wildfire is believed to be human caused.
A total of 73 firefighters, nine helicopters, three water tenders and two pieces of heavy equipment are battling the blaze.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
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.
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.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.