Just hours after being forced from their Kamloops, B.C., homes as a wildfire burned on their doorsteps, residents are now returning as an evacuation order has been lifted.
Kamloops Fire and Rescue Capt. Sheldon Guertin says the wildfire on the eastern edge of the city is now 80 per cent contained.
He says that means 150 residents of the Riverview RV and Trailer Park can now go home, although an evacuation alert is still in effect for the trailer park and several hundred homes in neighbouring suburbs.
A new crew of 20 firefighters was expected to arrive Wednesday afternoon to assist the 43 firefighters and four helicopters already on site.
Airtankers spent most of the morning laying fire retardant on the slopes to slow the spread of the blaze.
The blaze broke out late Tuesday night and quickly grew to half a square kilometre. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Lillooet fire
Meanwhile, the Yalakom wildfire burning northwest of Lillooet, about two hours west of Kamloops, grew to 10 square kilometres Wednesday afternoon.
In Pictures: Yalakom fire
Fire information officer Kayla Pepper said the Jade Wildfire is on such steep terrain crews from the BC Forest Service are limited to fighting the blaze from the air.
Pepper said the northwest flank of the nearly seven-square-kilometre fire flared up late yesterday.
Twenty firefighters monitored the fire overnight, but high temperatures and low humidity forced it to fan out by morning. Crews planned to work on the south and east flanks of the fire Wednesday – the areas closest to homes.
A total of 122 firefighters, five structure protection unit personnel, eight helicopters and 12 pieces of heavy equipment are working to contain the wildfire.
Officials have concluded the blaze, which is only 15 per cent contained, was sparked by a lightning strike on July 21.
