(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

Firefighters from B.C. Wildfire Service and Kamloops Fire Rescue responded to five wildfires near Kamloops on Tuesday night, all of which are suspected to be human-caused.

All the wildfires were in the Knutsford area and have been deemed suspicious by the wildfire service, which has resources on multiple fires in the area, including four fires of note.

"Human-caused wildfires divert essential resources that are needed on fires caused by lightning and are larger in size," the wildfire service published on social media on July 14.

Firefighters responded to those fires on the night of July 13, according to the wildfire service.

Tk'emlups Rural RCMP responded to the area of Goose Lake Road after receiving reports that a white Mazda 6 was near two fires in the area.

"Something had been discarded from the window of a white Mazda 6 observed on the roadway earlier," Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Const. Crystal Evelyn said in an email to iNFOnews.ca.

Evelyn said police were unable to confirm that whatever was discarded from the car was related to the fire and they were unable to locate the car.

Police would like to speak with the driver of the white Mazda, but have not deemed the fires suspicious at this time.

The largest wildfire in the Kamloops Fire Centre, Sparks Lake, has expanded to cover an area over 400 square kilometres and has prompted the current evacuation of 289 properties, while leaving 560 on alert.

That fire remains under investigation but suspected to be human-caused, according to the wildfire service.

While the wildfire service continues containment efforts at the Durand Lake and Embleton Mountain wildfires, the Tremont Creek wildfire southeast of Ashcroft has grown to cover 80 hectares since yesterday, July 13.

The Thompson Nicola Regional District placed 50 properties near Barnes Lake on evacuation alert at 4:30 p.m., July 13.

The Durand Lake and Sparks Lake wildfires have not grown significantly overnight, according to the wildfire service, but the wildfire at Embleton Mountain has grown to 516 hectares since July 13 - a 50 hectare change.

The wildfire at Embleton Mountain, which has prompted the evacuation order of 132 properties and left many on alert, continues to spread upslope. It's moving away from the community, but on steep, difficult terrain.

The regional district is holding a public information meeting via Zoom at 2 p.m. today. Officials from the regional district, BC Wildfire, RCMP, Emergency Management BC and Canadian Red Cross will be on hand to provide information. Click here for the Zoom meeting.

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