Evacuation order for some residents south of Valemount downgraded
CBC
The evacuation order issued for some areas south of Valemount, B.C., earlier Saturday evening has been downgraded to an evacuation alert, meaning residents there can return to their homes but must be ready to leave on short notice.
The community of Valemount, about 260 kilometres southeast of Prince George, B.C., is home to about 1,000 people, according to the 2021 census.
On Saturday evening, the Canoe Road wildfire — burning less than five kilometres from the village — had prompted the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and the Village of Valemount to issue the order.
The new evacuation alert covers properties east of Whiskeyfill Road, south of Cedarside Road, and the north end of Kinbasket Lake.
The B.C. Wildfire Services (BCWS) says ground crews are fighting the wildfire, alongside Valemount Fire Department personnel, with support from air tankers, skimmers and helicopters.
"B.C. wildfire and local resources, [like] the Valemount Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, quickly deployed knowing just ... how quickly it could get up and going," Valemount Mayor Owen Torgerson told CBC News Saturday evening.
"So hats off to first responders for getting after it right away."
As of Saturday night, the fire, named G32044 on the B.C. Wildfire Service dashboard, was less than one square kilometre in size.
More than 400 wildfires are burning across B.C. as of Saturday evening, according to the BCWS.
In a report Saturday, the service says a period of hot and dry weather combined with lightning activity is driving new wildfire starts and could intensify existing fires.
The service is forecasting a significant chance of lightning for the southern Interior on Saturday afternoon.
It says more than 1,700 personnel are responding to fires across B.C., and more than 260 wildfires have been declared out in the preceding seven days, as of Saturday morning.
BCWS fire information officer Sarah Budd told CBC News Friday that August is usually the most intense month for wildfires in B.C.
On Saturday, Environment Canada issued several heat warnings for regions in the B.C. Interior, as well as Fort Nelson in the northeast.
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