A wildfire burning in B.C.’s Interior has grown to more than 600 square kilometres, prompting evacuation alerts for roughly 120 properties, according to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Colton Davies, an information officer with the TNRD, said expanding the alerts was necessary due to the recent growth of the Ainslie Creek wildfire, which is north of Boston Bar and west of Merritt. Some of the areas under the alert include the Lower Nicola and the Sunshine Valley. “There was certainly a very noticeable smoke cloud that people could see on Monday, in the afternoon and evening, and it made a dark, eerie haze for hundreds or thousands of people travelling on the Coquihalla on Monday night,” he said. Davies said the total number of properties in the area under evacuation alert or order is now around 1,000. He said the region remains at high risk as the fire season continues. “We’re not out of the woods at this point for the fire risk,” Davies said. “It’s the middle of August just about now, and we’re very much still in the heart of the fire season up here.” The wildfire began burning last month. In the Kane Valley, a shroud of smoke from the fire has settled, making it challenging for residents to tend to their farms along the Coldwater River, south of Merritt. Olivia Greenland, is among those under evacuation alert. She said her and her family have been preparing in case they are told to leave their farm. “There’s so much that you can honestly do in this time, but right now it’s just me, my daughter and my dad who has cancer,” Greenland said. “So, we’re doing a little bit less.” Greenland said the dry conditions are something she has become accustomed to. “When you have property up in the Interior, it doesn’t rain like it does on the coast,” she said. “It just becomes one big matchbox up here. And it’s not really if a fire will happen, but it’s when.” Gordon Robinson, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service, said the wildfire is burning about 10 kilometres from the Coquihalla Highway. Robsinson added crews are working to protect homes in its path, but the blaze won’t be extinguished any time soon. “The fire will be here for a long time,” he said.” It’ll be here the rest of the season. It’s not a fire we’re going to be able to contain and put out.” Robinson said he encourages residents to follow their local government’s alert systems, or download the B.C. Wildfire Service app to stay up to date with the most recent information.
