B.C. wildfires prompt new evacuation orders

Fire crews have contained a brush fire on Mount Boucherie in West Kelowna, B.C., as wildfires continue to spark evacuation orders and camp fire bans across the province.

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The fire ignited on Tuesday afternoon onthe west slope of the mountain, which sits nearthe shore of Okanagan Lake in the province's popular wine-growing region.

Firefighters, aided by by helicopter and planes, have now surrounded the fire with flame retardant, but it is still not under control, according to the District of West Kelowna.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue and BC Forestry are asking boaters on Okanagan Lake to avoid the path of helicopters filling buckets with water, as they continue to douse the flames.

It is not yet known how the fire was started.No evacuation alerts or orders are being issued at this time.

In response to the high fire risk, the RegionalDistrict of Okanagan-Similkameen issued a temporary fire ban, beginning on Wednesday, applying toall open burning, including campfires and fireworks.

Meanwhile, the Coastal Fire Centre is standing down overreportsof a wildfireburning in Golden Ears Provincial Park near Maple Ridge, B.C., after they sighted no flames on a helicopter flight over the area.

In the Peace River Regional District, an evacuation order has been issued for the Mount McAllister area, southwest of Hudson's Hope, as a wildfire in northeastern B.C. grows to 10,000 hectares.

The wildfire, burning 100 kilometres southwest of Fort St. John and 56 kilometres west of Chetwynd, is believed to have been sparked by lightning.

Just outside the Lower Mainland, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for residents living near Murray Lake, due to an aggressive forest fire covering 60 hectares.

The fire, which was sparked by lightning, is burning between Hope and Merritt, around 238 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

Firefighters, airtankers and helicopters have been battling the fire since it was discovered on Monday, but ground crew have now been removed due to safety concerns.

ChelaslieArm wildfire spreading

Meanwhile, in B.C.'s northwest, the Regional DistrictofBulkley-Nechako hasdeclared a state of local emergencyas a wildfire inChelaslieArm grows to 13,000 hectares.

An evacuation order forTetachuckLake andChelaslieRiverhas also been expanded, throughUchuReach toIntataReach onNatalkuzLaketo the south side ofChelaslie.

On Monday, BC Parksclosed nearbyEntiakoProvincial Park and issued an evacuation order for all cabin owners and allrecreationalusers within the park.

TheChelaslieArm wildfire, which is burning some 200 kilometres southwest of Prince George, was discovered lastTuesday and is believed to have been caused by lightning.

Campfire bans forcoast and Cariboo

On B.C.'s south coast, the fire risk is high to extreme and acampfire ban has been issued throughout the entireKamloopsFire Centre,beginning on Wednesday

The CaribooFire Centre has expanded its campfire ban, also beginning Wednesday, to cover the entire area.

The banapplies toopen fires of any size, fires with a burn registration number, industrial burning, fireworks,tikitorches, sky lanterns and burning barrels.

The bandoes not apply to stoves or portable campfire apparatus that use gas, propane or briquettes, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

In theCaribooRegional District, theEuchinikoLakes wildfire, also believed to have been sparked by lightning, has grown to cover 2,200hectares since it was discovered lastTuesday.

As of Tuesday, 120 firefighters were trying to control the blaze, with six helicopters continuing to bucket the fire to support ground crews.

Alocal state of emergency was declared in the district and an evacuation order issued for theEuchinikoLakes Ranch on Sunday.

Evacuation ordered in Alberta

Last week, threeoil and gas worker camps were evacuateddue to concerns over the spreading Red Deer Creek wildfire, which was estimated to cover6,401 hectares on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday,thewildfire was within 10kilometres of the Alberta border, prompting the Municipal District ofGreenviewto issue an evacuation order.

According to B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch, 118 firefighters working around the clockhave made great progress on the fire and are continuing to build afireline.

There were a total of 12 wildfires listed on theB.C. Wildfire Management Branch's "wildfires of note" listTuesday evening.

In the Prince George fire centre:

• 22kmTenakihi.
• Euchiniko Lakes.
• Forres Mountain fire.
• Mount McAllisterfire.
• Mugaha fire.
• Red Deer Creek fire.
• Salmon Lake fire.
• Valley south ofMorfeeLake.

In the Kamloopsfire centre:

• Apex Mountain.
• Maka-Murray.

In theCariboofire centre:

• Soda Creek.

In the Northwest fire centre:

• Chelaslie Arm.

Dozens of other wildfires are also burning across the province. On Sunday,21 firefighters from Ontario arrivedinKamloopsto help support B.C.'s wildfire fighting efforts.