Coquihalla reopens, but no stopping allowed as Mine Creek wildfire forces evacuations

A key route to and from the Lower Mainland is back open after a wind-fueled wildfire jumped the highway’s four lanes on Wednesday.

The Coquihalla Highway reopened between Hope and Merritt Friday, but travellers were prohibited from stopping as the fast-growing Mine Creek wildfire continued to burn on both sides of the route.

The fire has triggered both evacuation orders and evacuation alerts, forcing residents and travellers to act quickly.

Evacuation order: Coquihalla Lakes area

The Fraser Valley Regional District issued an evacuation order Thursday evening for the Coquihalla Lakes area, including: the Coquihalla Lake Lodge at 35600 Coquihalla Lakes Rd., and the Coquihalla Summit Snowmobile Club at Tulameen Forest Service Road.

“If you are currently in this area, you must leave immediately,” the order states. “Ignoring these directions may lead to potential harm or loss of life.”

Residents under the order are being directed to head south on Highway 5 to exit the area. The FVRD says evacuee support will be available “on a case-by-case basis for emergency shelter and food for residents who cannot make arrangements for themselves.”

Officials are urging people to self-register with B.C.’s Evacuee Support Services to speed up assistance.

“A needs assessment will be performed to connect you with appropriate evacuee supports,” the district notes.

Expanded evacuation alert

At the same time, the FVRD expanded its evacuation alert to cover a large stretch of the Coquihalla corridor. The alert now spans from the old Coquihalla toll booth rest stop north to the boundary of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

“You are not required to evacuate at this time,” the advisory explains. “But you must be prepared to evacuate on short notice. Failure to do so may result in you or your family not having the supplies you require.”

The FVRD emphasized that residents under alert should be proactive:

• “Listen to local news stations for information and watch for future updates.”
• “Follow the directions of local authorities.”
• “Residents are encouraged to set up both their BC Service Card digital profile and provincial Evacuee Support Services profiles to expedite remote assistance if evacuation orders are issued.”

Highway closure and fire conditions

The Mine Creek wildfire was discovered Monday and has since grown to at least 1,900 hectares. Officials say steep terrain, strong winds, and unseasonably warm weather are complicating firefighting efforts.

The fire forced the complete closure of the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt Wednesday afternoon.

DriveBC is advising drivers to use Highway 1 or Highway 3 as alternate routes, though Highway 1 was closed south of Yale after a fiery crash Friday morning.

Commercial vehicles are not permitted on Highway 8.

Truckers said the sudden shutdown created major ripple effects.

“We had trucks going through that fire, and it’s a scary thing for our drivers in the public to navigate,” said Steve Gayfer with Arrow Transportation Systems Inc.

“It basically puts a standstill to a lot of the industry.”

B.C. wildfire officials say the blaze was already beyond the reach of a quick attack when crews arrived.

“By the time this fire was reported and we were able to get air resources to it, which was upon discovery, it had already grown to the point where an initial attack and a helicopter resource would not be able to address it fully,” explained Taylor Stewart Shantz, information officer with the Kamloops Fire Centre.

What residents should know

• If you are under order, leave immediately.
• If you are under alert, have bags packed and register with ESS online.
• Do not call 911 for information or updates.
• Stay tuned to FVRD and BC Wildfire Service channels for trusted updates.

Residents can also sign up for emergency alerts through the Alertable app or register for text, email, or phone alerts at fvrd.ca/alerts.