Northeastern B.C. community of 2,400 ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
Tumbler Ridge, a community with a population of 2,400 in northeastern B.C., has been ordered to evacuate Thursday due to the danger posed by an encroaching wildfire.
The evacuation order, which was sent out using the province's emergency alert system, warns residents that the West Kiskatinaw River wildfire "poses a threat to human life."
Brandon Broderick, a Tumbler Ridge resident, said the evacuation order took him by surprise because there was no evacuation alert issued beforehand.
“So there was very little warning which we were kind of surprised about because the town seemed to know that the fire was heading our direction,” Broderick told CTV News.
He and his partner quickly packed up their two vehicles with their belongings, two dogs and three cats.
The blaze, sparked by lightning and discovered on Tuesday, is burning out of control and is estimated at 9,600 hectares. The BC Wildfire Service said Thursday that the fire has seen "aggressive growth" over the past 24 hours.
Broderick, a photographer, went to check out the blaze on Tuesday afternoon and was startled by how quickly flames spread when he went back that night.
“It had grown significantly in 10 hours or so since I had been there. And it's just continued to grow since. It's very windy so it's just feeling it is extra dry this year,” he said. “Seeing the big huge plume of smoke growing behind the house was a pretty surreal experience.”
Brandon Broderick, who has been forced to evacuate his home in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., took this photo of a wildifre near his community on Tuesday, June 6. (Photo submitted by Brandon Broderick)
He estimates there was a bottleneck of 20 to 30 vehicles on their way to Chetwynd from Tumbler Ridge.
In a post on the district's Facebook page, evacuees are being told to go a reception centre roughly 120 kilometres away in Dawson Creek, which is only accessible by one route – Highway 29. The other possible way out is Highway 52 which is closed because of the wildfire.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, flames will be fanned due to easterly winds which are preventing firefighters from suppressing the blaze from the ground and air.
A shift to westerly winds is expected Saturday.
As of Thursday in B.C., there were 82 wildfires burning across the province, and a total of 382 wildfires had sparked since April 1.
Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma told reporters at a news conference that the 520,520 hectares burned so far this year already exceeds the total amount burned in 16 of the last 20 wildfire seasons in the province.
Ninety-nine per cent of the burned area has been in the Prince George Fire Centre in the northeast of the province.
Much of Canada and the United States is still grappling with poor air quality from what experts say could be one of the most devastating years for wildfires on record.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ian Holliday
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.