B.C. wildfire service battles blaze near Trans-Canada Highway

B.C.’s wildfire season is heating up with around 20 blazes burning on Friday, seven of them starting in the last 24 hours.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service says five wildfires are burning out of control in the province Friday, including a blaze that has grown to 27 hectares in the Fraser Canyon region.

The fire is burning just east of the Trans-Canada Highway near an area known as Hell’s Gate.

The wildfire service says the blaze is situated in steep terrain with some areas inaccessible to firefighting crews on the ground. Heavy equipment and helicopters equipped with water buckets have also been assigned to attack the flames.

“This fire is highly visible from the Trans-Canada Highway and nearby communities, and travel along this portion of the highway may be interrupted by the presence of crews and equipment in the area,” the wildfire service said in an update Friday.

The fire poses no immediate threat to structures or to public safety, the agency said.

The blaze was first identified on Thursday morning and grew to an estimated 2.5 hectares by midday. It is believed to be human-caused, officials said.

Konni Lake evacuation alert

Farther north, a significantly larger fire is burning in the Cariboo region.

The 215-hectare Konni Lake fire is burning roughly 175 kilometres west of 100 Mile House, prompting an evacuation alert for 10 rural properties.

The fire is also believed to have been sparked by human activity.

There are 22 wildfires currently burning in the province, including six that are classified as “being held” and 11 considered “under control,” according to the wildfire service.

There have been 68 wildfires reported in B.C. since April 1, with a total of 1,547 hectares burned. The wildfire agency says 93 per cent of the fires were likely caused by human activity.