A wildfire in B.C.’s Central Interior — that fire officials believe to be human-caused — has quickly grown to 236 hectares in size.
B.C. Wildfire Service said the fire began spreading Saturday, and is burning roughly five kilometres east of Fraser Lake, which sits west of Prince George.
On Saturday night, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako declared a local state of emergency.
People living in roughly a dozen properties near the fire are also being told to leave their homes, and many more have been put on evacuation alerts.
Those south of Highway 16 to south of Roys Lake; West and East of Seaspunkut 4 (Lejac) are under evacuation orders are asked to leave immediately.
Molly Blower from B.C. Wildfire Service says at this time, the fire is suspected to be human-caused.
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Forty firefighters are on site along with two air tankers. More resources are being called in as the fire as now swelled in size.
On Sunday, officials said the fire is 70 per cent guarded but is considered to be zero per cent contained.
Residents in the area who sent pictures to Global News said the fire appears to be spreading quickly, describing lots of smoke in the air.
BC Hydro reported nearly 20,000 customers in the region were without power Saturday afternoon due to a transmission circuit failure.
Those outages included parts of Fraser Lake along with Houston, Prince Rupert and Smithers.
BC Hydro wouldn’t say whether the outages were connected to the wildfire.
Another wildfire was discovered Saturday north of Fort St. John in the Charlie Lake area, which B.C. Wildfire Service said was less than a hectare in size.
— With files from Erin Ubels
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