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19h ago

Evacuation Orders Expanded as B.C. Wildfires Grow Near Lytton, Peachland and Harrison Lake

Record heat, drought and suspected human activity have fueled wildfires that expanded to tens of hectares, prompting evacuation orders, highway closures and aggressive firefighting operations.

An aerial view of the Bear Creek wildfire taken on July 30.
The Cantilever Bar wildfire, just south of Lytton, is burning out of control just as temperatures are expected to soar into the high 30s.
New houses being built to replace those destroyed by the 2021 wildfire are seen at the Lytton First Nation, in Lytton, B.C., on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A helicopter helps battle the Cantilever Bar wildfire south of Lytton.

Overview

  • The Cantilever Bar fire 10 km south of Lytton has grown to 6.5 square kilometres, leading Lytton First Nation to issue mandatory evacuation orders for two reserves and alerts for adjacent communities.
  • The Drought Hill wildfire north of Peachland holds at 27 hectares under a tactical evacuation order for 400 properties and evacuation alerts for 225 more, with alternating single-lane traffic on Highways 97 and 97C.
  • The Bear Creek blaze near Harrison Lake has reached 65 hectares and been designated a wildfire of note, prompting camper evacuations and road closures ahead of the long weekend.
  • BC Wildfire Service and local fire agencies have deployed helicopters, air tankers, skimmers and dozens of ground and structure protection personnel to contain the three major blazes.
  • Environment Canada has issued heat warnings and special air quality statements for the Fraser Canyon and Okanagan, urging residents to limit outdoor exposure as smoke and high temperatures persist.