Multiple evacuation orders issued in Cariboo, Prince George fire centres

More than 100 new wildfires have sparked in the last day, according to BC Wildfire Service, most of them caused by lightning.

The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako has issued two evacuation orders due to the risks from the Tsah Creek and Finger Lake wildfires.

The district says the danger posed by the Tsah Creek wildfire has prompted the evacuation order for all properties on either side of Highway 27 in the vicinity of Echo Lake and Bearcub FSR. Late Saturday night, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure closed a 12 kilometre stretch of the Highway 27 corridor between Blue Mountain Road and Kenner Road as a precautionary measure after the wildfire breached control lines.

The highway reopened Sunday morning, but BC Wildfire Service warned of smoke affecting visibility on the road.

The district, along with the Saik'uz First Nation has also ordered the evacuation for all properties to the south of the Bobtail Connector and Kluskus Forest Service Roads, in the vicinity of Finger Lake, including those accessed off Lavoie Gold Road, Long Lake Road and 6100 Road, as the Finger Lake wildfire continues to burn out-of-control.

And on Sunday afternoon, the district along with several First Nations issued an evacuation order due to the Parrot Lookout wildfire. The order affected all lands on the north side of Francois Lake accessed off Colleymount Road between Trout Lake Road and the west end of Francois Lake.

Residents of all three areas are being instructed to leave immediately.

The orders follow another one Saturday from Recreation Sites and Trails BC and the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. Those cover Kager Lake campsite and Trails and the Boer Mountain trail system and were triggered by the nearby Tintagel wildfire.

That fire is also burning out-of-control, covering 2.5 square kilometres.

Emergency alerts have been issued by the Cariboo Regional District due to wildfire risks in the Townsend Creek and Branch Road area.

On Saturday, the district issued an evacuation alert for 27 parcels in the Branch Road Area, covering more than 193 square kilometres.

The BC Wildfire Service says the Branch Road wildfire discovered Friday night is burning out-of-control, and covers nearly 3.5 square kilometres. The service says a helicopter, three pieces of heavy equipment including a bulldozer, excavator and water tender and other resources are responding.

And on Sunday afternoon, an evacuation order was issued for the Townsend Creek area, covering about 25 square kilometres due to the Townsend Creek Wildfire.

The blaze was discovered Saturday, and is believed to have been sparked by lightning. It is listed as burning out-of-control, and currently covers four square kilometres about 2.5 kilometres east of Margaret Lake.

Also on Sunday, an evacuation order was issued for the Gatcho Lake area due to a cluster of fires estimated to be burning around 10.1 square kilometres.

As of Sunday afternoon, there are 269 wildfires burning across the province. Evacuation orders are in place for 11 of them.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2023.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Kaija Jussinoja