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Thousands of properties in British Columbia were still under evacuation orders or warnings on Friday as hundreds of fires were burning across the province, some of which were fueled by continued warm temperatures and strong winds on Thursday.
As of Thursday night, officials have ordered the evacuation of more than 5,000 properties in British Columbia. Another 17,000 properties in the province are under evacuation alert status, which means that people living there must be prepared to evacuate at any time.
Three-quarters of the evacuation orders are concentrated in the Kamloops Fire Center area, which includes the Okanagan Valley. The largest fire in the province is in the area-including Nk’Mip Creek, Thomas Creek, Lytton Creek and Sparks Lake fires, the latter being the largest, covering an area of ??558 square kilometers.
Ian Meier, executive director of the BC Wildfire Bureau, said that strong winds on Thursday contributed to several wildfires, causing the fire to expand and prompting more evacuation.
He said the situation in the southern half of the province is very dry and “no signs of relief are visible.”
Hundreds of firefighters headed to British Columbia
There is better news in northern British Columbia, Meier said that cool temperatures and precipitation have allowed officials to reallocate some resources further south.
3,193 personnel currently on the fire line are also helping on the way, 112 of them will depart from Quebec on Friday, 100 Mexican firefighters are expected to arrive over the weekend, and an unknown number of military personnel are already in Okanagan. Assembly.
In the new area under the evacuation order there are Spences Bridge Community, Now threatened by the same wildfire, destroyed the village of Lytton in the south of it within a few minutes three weeks ago.
The fire has now expanded to more than 150 square kilometers-bigger than the city of Vancouver.
Late Thursday, due to the Nk’Mip Creek fire in southern Okanagan, the Osoyoos Indian Band expanded its evacuation order to cover more than 30 other properties.
The entire Ashcroft community, about 70 kilometers west of Kamloops, has been under evacuation alert since July 14 because the nearby Tremont Creek wildfire is still burning.Risk to the community Keep low, According to officials.
In Kootenay, Residents of 356 properties in the community Due to the continuous spread of the Michaud Creek wildfire, residents of Edgewood and Needles were told to stay away from their homes. The final estimated area of ??the wildfire was 46 square kilometers.
The Young Lake fire located southeast of 70 Mile House, Caused 103 other properties in Bonaparte Plateau to be evacuated Thompson-Nicolas area.
Approximately 168 properties in the Kootenay communities of Apple Grove and Fauquier Ordered to evacuate Because of the 32 square kilometers of the Octopus Creek wildfire.
Smoky sky
The air quality declarations for central and southeastern BC are still valid The smoky sky announcement issued by Environment Canada stated that residents may experience symptoms such as “increased coughing, throat irritation, headache or shortness of breath.”
The air quality is Especially poor in Castlegar and Kamloops on Friday.
Anyone who receives an evacuation order must leave the area immediately.
Evacuation centers have been set up throughout the province to help anyone evacuating from communities threatened by wildfires.To find the center closest to you, please visit Emergency Management in British Columbia website.
Encourage evacuees to register online Emergency Support Service, Regardless of whether they receive services in an evacuation center.
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