The evacuation order for 100 Mile House has been extended for at least another week.
Residents of the district of nearly 2,000 people were asked to leave their homes Sunday night due to the fast-moving Gustafsen wildfire. It is currently estimated to be 5,000 hectares in size and is 20 per cent contained at this time.
The B.C. Wildfire Service is continuing to conduct controlled burnoff operations to help fight the fire.
FULL COVERAGE: Wildfires burning around B.C.
While the entire community was evacuated, there are a group of ranchers and farmers who are staying put and banding together to try to keep the flames from destroying everything they have.
Rancher Paul Carey took these photos from inside 100 Mile House on Thursday morning. He says the fire is only about one kilometre from town and the mill right now.
READ MORE: Ranchers near 100 Mile House defy evacuation order, fight to save homes
It’s been days of stress, and in some cases bitter defeat: one of the neighbour’s houses burned down this week, despite their efforts to save it.
A ‘super guard’ has been built by firefighters around the community, with 40 loggers building the line on the east side of Highway 97. Bulldozers have also been cutting out a big swath of land so the fire can’t jump it. Any brush left around the fireguard is being back-burned to eliminate any fuel for a wildfire.
The Cariboo Regional District has also issued Evacuations Alerts and Orders for 103 Mile House, 105 Mile House, western side of Lac La Hache, and the 108 Mile Ranch Community.
READ MORE: B.C. wildfires map 2017: Current location of wildfires around the province
-With files from Simon Little, CKNW
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