Image Credit: FILE PHOTO
April 20, 2021 - 10:26 AM
A wildfire burning near Merritt is estimated to be 100 hectares in size and is still out of control.
The Petit Creek wildfire, northwest of Merritt, was first discovered April 18, along with a wildfire at Buck Ridge, which is now under control at 0.5 ha in size.
Homes in two different parts of the Thompson Nicola Regional District remain on evacuation alert, including the Miller Estates subdivision as well as the Canford community.
READ MORE: Evacuation alerts near Merritt as spring wildfires threaten
There are 42 B.C. Wildfire crew members on site today, April 20, along with two pieces of heavy equipment and two helicopters, said B.C. Wildfire Service fire information officer Gagan Lidhran.
“Our fire objective remains to estimate and hand and machine guard around the perimeter of the fire, so there is still lots of work to do,” Lidhran said.
Winds in the area accounted to the fire’s growth on Sunday, and B.C. Wildfire has been monitoring the forecast as unusually warm weather and dry conditions means dead fuels have not been able to retain moisture and are dry and volatile at this point, she said.
“We are continuing to do our suppression activities," Lidhran said. "Wind was not a factor yesterday, and today I’m not sure if wind will be an issue, but hopefully it will not be.”
She wanted to remind the public to be cautious with fires as they can spread quickly due to the dry nature of fuels.
Evacuation alerts apply to the following properties:
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1101, 1161, 1200, 1581, 1693, 2341 and 2437 Merritt Spences Bridge Hwy 8
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1256 – 1852 Miller Road
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2305 Woodward Road
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2757, 2797, 2815, 2861 and 2901 Merritt Spences Bridge Hwy 8
For the latest on the fire visit the B.C. Wildfire Service's website here.
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