The provincial government has declared a state of emergency for the Stikine region as the Little Blue River wildfire continues to burn out of control.
That wildfire, believed to be caused by lightening, is now an estimated 30,000 hectares in size, according to the BC Wildfire Service. It was first discovered last week.
The Stikine region is the only unincorporated region in the province, meaning the provincial government — rather than a municipality or district — is responsible for implementing its evacuation orders.
Some 740 people live in the region, which borders Alaska and Yukon, as well as the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, and the regional districts of Kitimat-Stikine, Peace River, and Bulkley-Nechako. Its largest town is Atlin.
The state of emergency will last two weeks unless otherwise stated, the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness said in a Monday statement. The declaration allows the province to use all its tools under the Emergency Program Act to co-ordinate wildfire response.
“While the Wildfire Act already enables all the legislative tools required for us to access resources for fighting wildfires, we continue to closely monitor wildfire and drought conditions and impacts across B.C. to determine if other measures might be required,” said Minister Bowinn Ma.
“We will continue to take actions to keep people and communities safe.”
Meanwhile, the nearby Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako has issued an evacuation order for all properties west of the Telkwa River accessed off of Tatlow Road, including all local roads. The Powers Creek wildfire, burning out-of-control, spans 20 hectares and is believed to have been sparked by lightning too.
The regional district has also issued an evacuation alert as for all areas north of the Endako river accessed by Savory Road, due to the risk posed by the Tatin Lake wildfire, which is burning out of control.
On Monday, the Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation alter for 686 parcels in the Pelican Lake Area, including Titetown, which is in the same region as the community of Nazko. The alter covers about 52,982 hectares.
Earlier Friday, the Township of Spallumcheen in the southern B.C. interior also opened an emergency operations centre after ordering 18 properties evacuated due to an out-of-control wildfire
More than 300 active wildfires are burning in the province, with lightening strikes having recently tripled the ignitions. A campfire ban is in effect across B.C.
— with files from The Canadian Press