A raging wildfire burning in the Fraser Canyon region south of Lytton has led to the village being under alert and surrounding areas under evacuation orders.
The Kookipi Creek wildfire, burning roughly 25 kilometres south of Lytton, has prompted evacuation orders from both the Fraser Valley Regional District, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, and the Kanaka Bar Indian Band, along with more alerts.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has issued an evacuation order for 42 addressed properties in Electoral Area “I” (Blue Sky Country). See the attached social media post below for details.
TNRD has also issued an evacuation alert in the same area for 34 properties (see map).
The Fraser Valley Regional District has enacted a state of local emergency for its Electoral Area A in the Nahatlatch River area.
There is an evacuation order for the Nahatlatch River area as well.
The following locations are included under the order: Blue Lake Resort, Nahatlatch River Recreation Site, Washtock Family Campground, Flat Iron Recreation Site, REO Rafting, Nahatlatch River Cabins, Log Creek Recreation Site, Squakum Campground.
The communities of Canyon Alpine, North Bend and Boston Bar are on evacuation alert.
Emergency Support Services are in place at Fraser Canyon/Boston Bar Family Place at 65250 Boston Bar Station Road and Hope Secondary School at 444 Stuart Street in Hope.
What to do if under an evacuation order in the area:
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- If you are in the described area, you must leave immediately.
- To receive Emergency Support Services, please self-register using the Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA) tool: https://ess.gov.bc.ca/, and report to the Reception Centre, located at 1655 Island Pkwy, Kamloops, BC V2B 6Y9.
- Make arrangements to stay with family or friends (if possible).
- Gather family; take a neighbour or someone who needs help.
- Take pets in kennels or on a leash.
- Take critical items (medicine, purse, wallet, keys) only if they are immediately available.
The Kookipi Creek wildfire is an estimated 8,791 hectares and is suspected to be caused by lightning. The wildfire also destroyed an iconic lookout within minutes and which was captured on video.
The Lytton First Nation has also issued an evacuation order and alert Thursday evening due to a different wildfire.
The Stein Mountain fire is an estimated 490 hectares in size and burning approximately 15 kilometres northwest of Lytton and west of the Fraser River.
Any residents of the Nkaih IR 10 and Lytton IR 9A must leave the area immediately.
The evacuation route is north to Lillooet on the Westside Road or south to Lytton via the reaction ferry.
Wildfire activity has also closed Highway 1 between Hope and Lytton. It will remains closed early Friday morning and an update is expected for 9 a.m.
These alerts and orders have come less than two months since Lytton lifted its state of local emergency two years after the massive wildfire that devastated the village.
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