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A tactical evacuation is underway in North Bend, B.C., where residents are being told to leave immediately because of the nearby Brunswick Creek wildfire that’s burning near Boston Bar in the province’s Fraser Canyon region.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says a tactical evacuation is used when a sudden threat to life requires immediate action and there is no time to prepare or issue written warnings.
The Fraser Valley Regional District says the evacuation is being carried out on the recommendation of the B.C. Wildfire Service
The regional district is also issuing a state of local emergency for Electoral Area A and says anyone in the evacuation order area must leave.
Firefighters are battling the out-of-control wildfire near Boston Bar, B.C. (B.C. Wildfire Service)
Since Friday afternoon an evacuation alert had been in place for four properties on Chaumox Road, north of North Bend.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire is believed to be human-caused and remains out-of-control.
It is now estimated at about 100 hectares. Officials say the change from the earlier estimate of about 14 hectares on Friday reflects more accurate mapping from the air, not an increase in fire behaviour.
The fire continues to burn at Rank 1 to 2, meaning conditions range from a low-smouldering ground fire to a low-vigour surface fire.
B.C. Wildfire Service crews are supporting the Boston Bar Fire Department with three initial attack crews, two unit crews, two response officers, three helicopters and heavy equipment tackling the fire.
The wildfire service says strong wind gusts are expected, which could affect fire behaviour and make suppression work more difficult.
Traffic on Chaumox Road is restricted to local residents only, and there are no anticipated impacts to Highway 1.
