The Martin Mountain wildfire continues to burn near Monte Lake this morning and remains an estimated 150 hectares in size.
The fire broke out quickly on Wednesday, prompting an evacuation order and a local state of emergency.
While the B.C. Wildfire Service has not confirmed how this wildfire started, other than to say it was human-caused, witnesses tell Global News they believe a flicked cigarette started the fire.
“We saw a small puff of smoke on the side of the road and as we got closer we saw a bit of flames,” said one of the witnesses, Darcy Lynn Galbraith.
“We pulled over, got water bottles and started trying to throw the water on the fire. We were both in flip flops so we couldn’t stomp it out safely. Once our bottles were empty the fire took off up the mountain and through the fence. The tree was gone within a minute, if that.”
FULL COVERAGE: Wildfires burning around B.C.
Properties owners are being allowed in to the evacuated areas to check on livestock and Highway 97 is partially open to alternating traffic. There is no word on when the evacuation order or alert will be lifted however.
Crews have been able to contain 30 per cent of this fire but one home is believed to have been destroyed in the blaze.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help a family who says their home was destroyed.
Wildfire officials are warning everyone that one spark from a campfire is all it takes to spark a blaze.
A state of emergency remains in B.C. due to the wildfires burning around the province.
MAP: Location of fires burning around B.C.
-With files from Nadia Stewart and Lauren Pullen
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