The Cook's Ferry Indian Band issued an evacuation order for IR #6 Nicoelton as well as an evacuation alert for IR #5, 5A and 19 on Tuesday, July 16 as two wildfires continue to burn out of control north of Spences Bridge.
Thick brown smoke could be seen rising from the area south of Highway 97 Tuesday afternoon between Spences Bridge and Venables Valley. These fires are now being referred to as the Shetland Creek and Teit Creek wildfires.
Fire behaviour increased Tuesday afternoon, with the Teit Creek wildfire exhibiting Rank 4 fire behaviour and Shetland Creek exhibiting Rank 3 and 4 behaviour, prompting the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) to reposition ground crews, noted BCWS in an update.
Both fires are considered out of control, under 300 hectares and located between 5.5 and 7.5 kilometres away from Spences Bridge.
Cook's Ferry issued the order and alerts due to danger posed to the community by the wildfires, which were both suspected to be caused by lightning on Saturday. It's unclear how many people are affected by the band's evacuation order.
There are currently no evacuation alerts or orders for Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) properties.
"While BCWS, Cook's Ferry and the TNRD work closely together, Cook's Ferry and the TNRD are separate jurisdictions," noted Area I TNRD director Tricia Thorpe Wednesday morning. "I expect there will be additional updates provided later this morning."
A number of wildfires have emerged along major highways in British Columbia as the province swelters in a second heat wave this month and thunderstorms and winds are in the forecast.
The BC Wildfire Service said Wednesday that a new blaze is burning three kilometres south of Peachland, in the Okanagan, that shut down Highway 97 to vehicle traffic for hours.
Firefighters say the blaze on the west side of the highway reached about one hectare in size and is likely human-caused.
The fire is visible from the highway, and two wildfire crews and a helicopter have been activated alongside local fire departments from Peachland and Summerland.
"There are structures on the eastern side of Highway 97," the wildfire service said in its social media post about the fire on Wednesday. "However, no structures are currently threatened by this wildfire."
A wildfire next to Highway 1 east of Cache Creek was also discovered Wednesday, prompting single-lane alternating traffic on that stretch of highway.
Late Tuesday, crews also responded to a wildfire along another stretch of Highway 1 about 16 kilometres north of Boston Bar burning on the banks of the Fraser River near some railroad tracks.
The service said two attack crews, a response officer and helicopter support were on the scene of the blaze along with Canadian National Railway staff, and the 2.2-hectare blaze was being held as of Wednesday.
A wildfire that flared up along the Trans-Canada Highway between Chilliwack and Hope, B.C., is now classified as "being held," and isn't expected to spread beyond its boundaries.
The one-hectare blaze had forced the closure of an eastbound lane of the highway on Monday.
The wildfire service says in its latest provincial situation report that hot and dry weather persists, and increasing winds later this week could increase fire activity.
Environment Canada issued new heat warnings on Tuesday for Howe Sound and Whistler in the southwest of the province, bringing the total to more than 20 across B.C. stretching deep into the Interior and up to Terrace in the north.
Heat warnings continue for the Fraser Canyon, Okanagan Valley, Williams Lake, Kootenay Lake, Cranbrook and elsewhere.
The weather office says daytime highs in the mid to high 30s are expected in the Fraser Canyon and Okanagan, while temperatures in the 30s are expected in parts of the southwest.
Nearly 730 firefighting personnel have been deployed across B.C., with crews from Australia and New Zealand expected to arrive on Friday.
害羞草研究所� with a file from Canadian Press
