More wildfire evacuations from Lytton First Nation as Highway 1 remains closed

One of the wildfires burning in B.C.'s Fraser Canyon has prompted new evacuation orders from the Lytton First Nation, as a nearby stretch of Highway 1 remains closed due to downed hydro lines and other hazards.

The Lytton First Nation issued the latest evacuations Tuesday evening, citing "immediate danger to life and safety" from the Stein Mountain wildfire.

Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma addressed the evacuations at a news conference Wednesday, noting the region remains in a volatile situation with multiple fires burning.

"I want to acknowledge the stress that that causes for a community, especially a community like Lytton First Nation that has already been through so much," Ma said. "It's a reminder that we must be agile in case our circumstances change."

Officials lamented that the recent rainfall that has aided firefighters in the Okanagan and other parts of the province has bypassed the Fraser Canyon. Forestry Minister Bruce Ralson said crews are continuing to "work hard to protect vital infrastructure including transmission lines, railways and Highway 1."

The Stein Mountain blaze, which has spread across an estimated 1,811 hectares, was still burning out of control as of Wednesday morning, according to the latest update on the B.C. Wildfire Service website.

Meanwhile, officials said much work remains to be done before Highway 1, which has been closed for nearly a week because of the Kookipi Creek blaze, can reopen.

"We recognize that the closure has had significant impacts on movement throughout the region," the BCWS wrote on Twitter Wednesday.

Other hazards on the highway include rocks, debris and "danger trees," meaning trees at risk of coming into contact with power lines.

Officials said crews from BC Hydro will need to assessed downed lines and poles before the other hazards can be cleared away.

Also on Wednesday, an incident management team working out of a fire camp in Boston Bar has assumed command of the Kookipi Creek wildfire response.

The blaze has grown to an estimated 14,425 hectares and has not been "responding to suppression efforts," according to the BCWS website.