A growing wildfire in B.C.'s Okanagan has forced emergency officials to evacuate Cathedral Provincial Park.
The Placer Mountain blaze that broke out two weeks ago south of Princeton was fanned by strong winds this week, spreading the flames across an estimated 1,520 hectares.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen said the wildfire now "poses a heightened risk to human safety," and on Wednesday morning ordered all guests to clear out of the Cathedral Lakes Lodge.
All hikers and other visitors in Cathedral park have also been told to leave.
More than 110 firefighters are battling the Placer Mountain fire, which is still burning completely out of control. The B.C. Wildfire Service said crews have completed a successful burn-off on the eastern flank, however, and they are working to remove fuel sources on the south side.
Nine helicopters and 14 pieces of heavy equipment are also helping attack the flames.
Nearby to the east of the blaze, the Snowy Mountain wildfire has triggered evacuation orders for 384 properties in Keremeos and another 481 in surrounding rural areas and in Cawston.
"There is the potential for burning embers to float several kilometers, sparking fires along the valley bottom. Ash and thick smoke is already visible in the Similkameen due to wildfires in the area," the regional district said in a release.
The Lower Similkameen Indian Band is also under evacuation alert.
The Snowy Mountain fire has expanded to a whopping 6,155 hectares since being discovered on July 17, and is being fought by 19 firefighters with three helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment.
