UPDATE: Wildfire near Lytton continues to roar out of control

Lots of smoke from the 1,500 hectare fire north of Lytton

Image Credit: Contributed

Republished July 20, 2014 - 4:30 PM

Original Publication Date July 18, 2014 - 6:36 AM

THOMPSON-NICOLA - The ‘highly aggressive’ Botanie Road wildfire continues to threaten people's homes.

The local regional district declared a state of emergency on Thursday and issued an evacuation order because of the immediate threat of the fire. About 150 people are out of their homes.

The Botanie Road fire is 1.5 square kilometres in size and is burning out of control.

The fire is displaying highly aggressive fire behaviour due to steep terrain and high winds, according to B.C. Wildfire Management.

It’s producing a lot of smoke. Crews have been trying to protect structures with sprinkler units, but there is a report several out buildings have been destroyed.

There are currently 121 firefighters, six helicopters and 11 pieces of heavy equipment working the blaze.

The air tankers pilots have been having a tough time flying missions on the fire because of the thick smoke.

The Lytton ferry remains open, but to local traffic only.

The Emergency Support Services centre is at the Parish Hall on 140 - 7th Street in Lytton. It is providing help to the people evacuated from their homes. The service centre will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Monday, July 21 and Tuesday, July 22. The hours of operation will continue to be monitored and if the centre is required beyond Tuesday, further information will be provided.

For more information call 1-250-377-7182.

UNDER EVACUATION ORDER:
All residences along Botanie Creek Road from the junction of Highway 12 and Botanie Creek Road north to Botanie Lake.

All residents must leave the described area immediately and check in at the reception centre at the Parish Hall in Lytton, 140 Parish Road.

Residents are advised to travel north along Botanie Creek Road, Izman Creek Forest Service Road and Laluwessin Forest Service Road to Highway 12 and then south to Lytton. It is also suggested that evacuees turn off the power and propane to their residences.

UNDER EVACUATION ALERT:
All properties east of the Fraser River, along the Highway 12 corridor from Highway 12 and Botanie Creek Road to Highway 12 and Laluwissin Forest Service Road east to the western boundary of the Bootahnie IR #15.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 6:55 a.m., July 19, 2014 with additional details.

— This story was updated at 4:19 p.m., July 20, 2014 to add new information from B.C. Wildfire Management.