The two out-of-control wildfires in northeastern British Columbia that have already forced some residents to leave their homes are expected to grow bigger in the next few days.
The Peace River Regional District says in a statement that strong winds are “expected to contribute to the continued growth” of both the Boundary Lake and Red Creek wildfires, located about 1,300 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, for the next 24 to 48 hours.
District board chair Leonard Hiebert says in a statement that the wildfires are “aggressive” in their spread since their discoveries on Friday, and the safety risk is significant enough that all residents of areas covered by evacuation orders should leave immediately.
The regional district’s area that covers both Boundary Lake and Red Creek has declared a state of local emergency to allow it to respond quicker to the wildfires.
The Boundary Lake wildfire covers 1,900 hectares near Goodlow, B.C., while the Red Creek blaze encompasses 1,550 hectares about 20 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John, B.C.
A third wildfire 700 kilometres to the south at Teare Creek also continues to burn, but the BC Wildfire Service says the blaze is now under control and unlikely to spread, while the evacuation orders and alerts for residents near the village of McBride have been rescinded.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2023.
The Canadian Press
