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(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
July 14, 2021 - 5:11 PM
The Tremont Creek wildfire near Ashcroft has more than doubled in size today due to wind.
It was previously estimated to have burned 300 hectares, but by around 12:20 p.m. today, July 14, it has grown to about 780 hectares.
The wildfire 8.5 kilometres southeast of Ashcroft had already prompted an evacuation alert for 50 properties, but that number has increased.
The original 50 properties near Barnes Lake placed on alert have now been given an order to evacuate by the Thompson Nicola Regional District at 5:10 p.m., July 14.
North and Downtown Ashcroft have been put on evacuation alert, along with the Mesa subdivision, the entire Village of Cache Creek, Ashcroft Indian Band IR# 2 and IR# 4.
For the latest on evacuation status in Ashcroft, go to the Thompson Nicola Regional District emergency services website here.
The wildfire service is expecting strong winds in the area and the are working to establish egress routes before they start building control lines for the fire perimeter.
The blaze was first discovered on July 12 and remains out of control. There is no known or suspected cause at this time.
Other fires of note in the region have remained steady as far as emergency operations and evacuations go.
Many properties remain evacuated due to the Sparks Lake, Durand Lake and Embleton Mountain wildfires, even more are on alert. Nordstrom said the wildfire service has not recommended changes today to those evacuation measures.
For more information from the Thompson Nicola Regional District's emergency operations centre, including evacuation status, go to this website.
To follow wildfire updates from the B.C. Wildfire Service, go here.
— This story was updated at 5:20 p.m., July 14, 2021, to say the evacuation alert for 50 Thompson Nicola Regional District properties was escalated to an order.
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