Rapidly growing St. Mary's River fire triggers more evacuation orders, alerts in southeastern B.C.
CBC
An evacuation order has been expanded and an evacuation alert has been issued for multiple homes in southeastern British Columbia, as the St. Mary's River wildfire continues to rage out of control.
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) issued an evacuation order late Wednesday for 15 properties north of the ʔaq̓am First Nation in the Woods Corner East area near Cranbrook, including some that had been on alert since early Tuesday morning.
The new evacuation alert covers nine properties in the Woods Corner West area.
The district said gusting late-day winds, increased fire behaviour and growth prompted the alerts and orders.
Earlier Wednesday, the First Nation confirmed several homes had been lost, but details on how many people or homes were affected have not been released.
The RDEK issued an evacuation order on Monday for 52 homes, with another 43 properties on evacuation alert.
An evacuation order means residents should leave immediately, whereas an evacuation alert means residents should prepare to evacuate their homes with little to no notice.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said the St. Mary's River fire was human caused. It's estimated to be about eight square kilometres in size — a significant increase from the three square kilometres it covered on Monday.
The BCWS classifies it as a "wildfire of note," meaning it is highly visible or poses a potential threat to public safety.
WATCH | ʔaq̓am chief denounces 'bogus' GoFundMe campaigns for St. Mary's River wildfire evacuees:
There are currently 23 wildfires of note burning across the province, most of them located in central and northern regions.
The BCWS says it has deployed eight to 10 pieces of heavy equipment to control the wildfire, with plans to bring more in the coming days.
In the southwest of the province, an evacuation alert is in effect for more than 80 homes west of Lillooet between Anderson Lake and Seton Lake. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District issued the alert because an out-of-control wildfire is burning above Highline Road, between Six Mile Creek and Sundquist Creek.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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