The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) has issued an evacuation order for the Electoral Area B (Downton Creek area) within its region, due to “immediate danger to life safety.”
The order has been issued due to the Downton Creek FSR wildfire, which is burning roughly 18 kilometres southwest of Lillooet, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
“RCMP has carried out the evacuation order and the area has been evacuated,” SLRD staff told Global News, late Saturday afternoon.
The fire is around 200 hectares and is burning out of control, wildfire officials said.
The following addresses are under evacuation order:
- District Lot 2343, Lillooet District
- District Lot 4361, Lillooet District
- District Lot 4361- Lot A, Lillooet District
- Lot 1 and Lot 2 in District Lot 4360, Lillooet District
- Cottonwood Recreation Site EC1576
- Cinnamon Recreation Site REC1874
- Gott Recreation Site REC1872
- Rogers Recreation Site REC1568
- Seton Ridge Recreation Trail REC4684
An evacuation alert has also been issued by the regional district for two properties in Electoral Area B – District Lot 4359 and Lot 2 of District Lot 4360.
Wildfire officials said no structures are being threatened at this time, but assessments are being made to highlight “values in the area.”
“(There are) 11 ground personnel on site assessing safe, workable ground,” said Shaelee Stearns, a fire information officer at the Kamloops Fire Centre.
“(Some) portions of the fire are burning in steep, inaccessible terrain in high elevations, which is unsafe for crews to get to.”
Regional district staff said those affected should call the 24/7 Canadian Red Cross Disaster Assistance Line at 1-800-863-6582, if support is needed.
The district is also advising for people to monitor the BC Wildfire Service and Emergency Info BC twitter pages for updates.