A new out-of-control fire in the British Columbia interior has triggered a mandatory evacuation order in an area about 600 kilometers north of Vancouver.
The Cariboo Regional District says the Lake Tzenzaicut wildfire, discovered on Saturday, has become enough of a threat to issue an evacuation order for an area west of Highway 97 between Quesnel and Williams Lake. .
A wider area around the evacuation zone – just south of the community of Baker Creek – has been put on alert.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Lake Tzenzaicut area blaze remains relatively small, about one square kilometer in size, but has doubled in size since Saturday night, and fire crews say the blaze likely started. been triggered by a lightning strike or other natural means.
Meanwhile, the Pelican Lake wildfire, 300 kilometers west of Lake Tzenzaicut, has become a “high profile wildfire” according to the BC Wildfire Service and an alert for a possible evacuation remains in effect. for communities such as Anahim Lake and Ulkatcho First Nation.
British Columbia is also continuing to battle a number of major wildfires in the Peace River area near Fort St John, but firefighters say changes in wind direction and cooler weather have contributed to temper those fires so far for the weekend.