Sky above B.C.'s Logan Lake looked 'almost apocalyptic' just before wildfire-prompted evacuation order was issued

CHILLIWACK, B.C. -

Melissa Cummings and her six children were watching the sky in their B.C. community of Logan Lake before the evacuation order came down.

“Almost apocalyptic-like, just the way it looked,” she told CTV News. “It’s definitely super scary.”

Thursday afternoon the approximately 2,000 residents who live there were given an evacuation order, told to leave.

“Stressful. It’s really stressful. I felt sick all afternoon yesterday into the evening,” said Cummings on Friday. “(I) barely slept last night.”

She and her kids packed quickly and were ready when the order was issued. But one of her sons, seven-year-old Zane Dougall, told CTV News he’s worrying about things he left behind.

“My necklace because it fell under my bed, and Alexa,” he listed.

The Tremont Creek fire is threatening the town and burning out of control.

On Thursday it was just seven kilometres outside of the community, and was growing. By Friday afternoon the fire had grown significantly, to about 41,000 hectares.

“Structural protection personnel have been deployed including multiple municipal fire protection folks as well as their apparatus, remain on scene throughout the evening to monitor the fire and assess that need for structural protection,” said Erika Berg, a wildfire information officer with the BC Wildfire Service.

There are thousands of properties across the province on either evacuation order or alert, and towns in B.C.'s Interior taking evacuees are filling up.

“No accommodation in Merritt, Ashcroft, Cash Creek, and there’s limited in Kamloops,” said Joel Carlson, an evacuee from Logan Lake.

An evacuation centre has been set up in Chilliwack for evacuees.

“We’ll supply all meals for them and do whatever we possibly can for them,” said Don Armstrong, emergency disaster co-ordinator for the Fraser Valley.

“If they all show up we’ll make sure there is room for them.”

He said he expects about 40 per cent of the town to arrive, because some will go stay with friends and family.

That’s what Fred and Joanne Singer are doing; they’re staying with her mother in the Fraser Valley.

“I’m not concerned about the house at all. I mean, that’s why we get insurance. It is what it is. I have the most important things with me and that’s my wife, and my dog,” said Fred.

“There are 268 active wildfires burning in B.C. Seven per cent are attributed to human activity, 69 per cent have sparked due to natural causes such as lightning,” said Berg.

Firefighters on the front lines are battling hot and dry conditions, both of which are set to continue through the weekend. Berg said with such a busy wildfire season, their personnel are stretched thin.

“We are expecting not only some increased growth, but the potential for increased fire starts, if we do see some dry lightning come about at the end of the weekend,” she told CTV News.

There is more help on the way. Berg told CTV News approximately 250 personnel are arriving between now and next week from Quebec, Northwest Territories, New Brunswick, Alberta and Parks Canada. There is also continued support from Australia, Mexico and the Canadian Armed Forces.