White Rock Lake wildfire responsible for half of B.C.'s evacuation orders
One major fire burning in the B.C. Interior is now responsible for about half of all evacuation orders issued in the province.
The White Rock Lake wildfire has been burning since July 13 and is currently estimated at 32,500 hectares. For the last 24 hours, crews have faced sustained winds of around 25 km/h, gusting up to 40 km/h.
“Wind gusts are expected to increase fire activity and challenge suppression efforts,” said Rob Schweitzer, director of fire centre operations with the BC Wildfire Service. “Strong winds are forecast again for tomorrow.”
Of particular concern is the northeast boundary of the fire. New evacuation orders were issued for hundreds of properties along Highway 97 on Wednesday night, and the road is now closed.
The fire burning between Kamloops and Vernon has jumped across Highway 97 just south of Monte Lake and continued growth is expected.
More information on the fire can be found on the BC Wildfire Service website.
Officials say the fire is responsible for putting more than 2,000 properties under evacuation order. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, 4,228 properties were under evacuation order across the entire province.
Those living in the wider vicinity of the White Rock Lake fire are also being warned to stay on alert.
“I urge you to maintain a heightened level of awareness of this evolving situation over the next 48 hours and please be prepared in advance for a potential evacuation alert or order,” Schweitzer said.
Officials say most of the 8,309 people currently registered as evacuees in B.C. have found accommodation, including in hotels. But many of the properties impacted are on farmland with livestock.
This week, the Township of Armstong, north of the White Rock Lake fire, opened the campground to evacuees “wishing to self contain camp on site and/or house livestock.”
There are now 292 wildfires considered to be active in B.C., according to the provincial wildfire service's interactive dashboard. Of those, 108 were sparked within the last week. A little over one-tenth of the fires were ignited in the last two days.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.