The Red Creek wildfire burning out of control northwest of Fort St. John, B.C., has led to an upgrade of an evacuation alert for nearby residents.
The alert was expanded around 8 p.m. on Friday night.
“BC Wildfire has recommended this evacuation alert as a result of the Red Creek wildfire and fire behaviour,” Peace River Regional District staff said in the alert.
“This alert is in addition to the evacuation order and alert already in place for other properties in the Red Creek area.”
The expanded Red Creek evacuation alert now applies to the following new areas:
- Extending north to the intersection of Highway 97N and the Beatton Airport Road to the intersection of Rose Prairie Road and Prespatou Road
- Extending east to Prespatou Road, 256 Road, 281 Road, and the west shore of Charlie Lake
- Extending south to Highway 29N, from the intersection of Highway 97N to Bear Flats
The following properties remain under an evacuation alert:
- From the intersection of Highway 97N and Beatton Airport Road, heading north along Highway 97N to 258 Road
- Heading west beyond North Cache Creek
- Heading northeast to Fox Creek
- Due west to the Prespatou Roa
- Follow the Prespatou Road south to 256 Road
- Following 256 Road west to 281 Road
- Following 281 Road south to 254 Road
- Following 254 Road to Highway 97N
- the area 5.5 km west of Highway 97N and 4.0 km north of Lyndon Subdivision
As of 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, the Red Creek wildfire was an estimated 2,716 hectares.
Fire officials said that as temperatures rise as expected through the weekend, fire activity and behaviour will increase.
“Due to the forecasted warming and drying trend for above-seasonal average conditions, the North Peace complex has brought in additional structure protection resources in anticipation of an increase in fire activity and fire behaviour,” BC Wildfire staff said in a report.
“These resources include structure protection specialists and structure defence teams, including engines and tenders. A mass water delivery system has been set up on the south end of Charlie Lake to support refilling of the structure protection engines and tenders and two portable refill tanks have also been set up to create additional water supply locations.”
All evacuation alerts and orders can be read in full online.