Officials in B.C. are evacuating people in certain regions as a wildfire has grown to 450 square kilometres in size Friday. B.C. Wildfire Services says the fire is classified as out of control and crews are working through the night to suppress it. The blaze is happening between Kamloops and Vernon in the province’s southern region.
There has been extensive damage to the community of Monte Lake and through the nearby Paxton Valley. Ken Gillis, chair of Thomson-Nicola Regional District said “In all likelihood, the majority of the community has been wiped out by this fire.” Specifically, the general store, one campground, and a number of residences have been destroyed.
The White Rock Lake wildfire hopped onto Highway 97 roughly 40 kilometres southeast of Kamloops late Thursday. Thousands of people in the area have been told to evacuate or prepare to evacuate. Gillis explained “We are imploring people to prepare once you get the evacuation alert. Evacuation alerts are issued for a reason.”
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