The Sparks Lake wildfire, June 30, 2021.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/BC Wildfire Service
July 01, 2021 - 11:19 AM
B.C. Wildfire crews are still battling an out of control wildfire, the largest currently in the province, roughly 14 kilometres from Kamloops Lake.
The Sparks Lake wildfire said the fire is mapped at 20,000 hectares, but fire information officer Shae Stearns said the service is unable to get a proper estimate on the fire’s size this morning due to the smoke. The fire significantly increased in size yesterday. The fire was discovered June 28.
There are 13 helicopters on scene with eight pieces of equipment, she said. The equipment is based on the southeast flank of the fire. The fire is still classified as out of control.
"Yesterday (June 30), winds were flowing from the south and then switched and blew the fire eastward," according to the service's wildfire map.
Smoke is visible from Kamloops and nearby communities.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued an evacuation order for 18 properties in the Copper Desert Country Electoral Area J. It has also issued an evacuation alert for 150 properties in the Deadman, Red Lake, Tranquille Valley and Vidette Lake areas, as well as 298 addressed properties in the Loon Lake and Hihium Lake areas within Electoral Areas "E" and "J."
The fire is suspected to be human caused.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2021