An evacuation alert was issued on Wednesday morning for Lee Creek on Shuswap Lake due to the rapidly spreading Lower East Adams Lake wildfire.
Shortly after, the alert was expanded to include the neighbouring community of Scotch Creek.
Roughly 2,200 properties within Scotch Creek and Lee Creek are now under evacuation alert.
Residents in these areas are advised to prepare by having a grab-and-go bag read with items needed to sustain them – including medication — for up to 72 hours, along with important documents.
“BC Wildfire is monitoring the situation very closely, but there is a wind event anticipated over the next day,” said Tracy Hughes of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.
“That could change the direction of the wind and force that fire closer to those communities. So this is a serious situation.
“We want people in those areas of Scotch Creek and Lee Creek to get prepared now. They may be asked to leave on extremely short notice.”
The regional district said there is limited road access in and out of the two communities, and that could cause delays in the event of an evacuation.
Information centres are set up at both the Scotch Creek and Lee Creek firehalls for affected residents seeking help.
In the event of an evacuation order, residents outside the alerted zone will not be let in.
At this time, tourism in the affected areas is discouraged until the situation is under control.
The Lower East Adams Lake wildfire is currently sized at 10,004 hectares, while the Bush Creek East fire is at 3,287 hectares. Both are deemed to be out of control and are listed as wildfires of note.
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