The B.C. Wildfire Service believes the fire, discovered on Friday, was caused by a lightning strike.
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Residents and campers in and around Big Bar Lake must leave the area immediately, as danger from the fast-growing Fiftynine Creek wildfire has prompted an evacuation order.
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The fire was first discovered on Friday, and by the afternoon had reached nearly seven square kilometres in size and was classified as out of control. The B.C. Wildfire Service believes the fire was caused by a lightning strike.
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Shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the Thomson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) escalated its prior evacuation alert to an evacuation order covering approximately 107 properties around Big Bar Lake, including the campground at Big Bar Lake Park, as well as some properties to the southeast.
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TNRD says, if it is safe to do so, evacuees leaving the area should proceed east on Big Bar Road to Highway 97.
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However, if the fire has reached Big Bar Lake Road and travel is no longer safe along that route, evacuees should go west on Big Bar Road and leave the area either to the north through Meadow Lake, or to the south through Jesmond.
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Emergency support services will be available at the Clinton Memorial Hall.
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Experts had predicted wildfire activity in B.C. would increase this week due to warming and drying conditions, along with lightning storms.
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To check conditions and fire bans throughout the province, go to the B.C. Wildfire Service website. The most up-to-date information on evacuation orders related to the Fiftynine Creek wildfire can be found at the TNRD Emergency Services dashboard.
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– With files from Joseph Ruttle
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