The Teare Creek fire (G3021) burns in the Fraser-Fort George Regional District of British Columbia in a May 5, 2023, handout photo. The Township of Spallumcheen in the southern B.C. interior has opened an emergency operations centre after ordering 18 properties evacuated due to an out-of-control wildfire. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BC Wildfire Service *MANDATORY CREDIT*

SMITHERS, B.C. - The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako in central B.C. has issued an evacuation order for all properties west of the Telkwa River, accessed off of Tatlow Road, including all local roads, as the Powers Creek wildfire rages nearby.

The out-of-control blaze covering 20 hectares was discovered Friday evening, and is believed to have been sparked by lightning.

Everyone in the area is being told to gather pets and critical items such as medication, wallet, keys and turn off all gas and electrical appliances before leaving immediately.

Evacuees should register at the reception centre at the Christian Reformed Church in Smithers.

Earlier Friday, the Township of Spallumcheen in the southern B.C. interior opened an emergency operations centre after ordering 18 properties evacuated due to an out-of-control wildfire.

The evacuations come amid a spike in wildfire activity associated with lightning and parched conditions across much of the province's interior.

Spallumcheen, with a population of about 5,300, says people living in the properties east of Round Lake Road should leave the area immediately.

The township says more than a dozen other properties on the west side of the road are on evacuation alert and should be prepared to leave with little notice.

The township says emergency crews are on scene, and tactical support from the BC Wildfire Service is on the way.

It says people whose properties have been evacuated can visit an emergency support service centre at the Spallumcheen's municipal hall.

Meanwhile, an evacuation alert has been issued by the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako for all areas north of the Endako river accessed by Savory Road, due to the risk posed by the Tatin Lake wildfire, which is burning out of control. Residents are being told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

The wildfire service was reporting 136 active fires in B.C. on Friday afternoon, most of them concentrated in the province's northeast.

They include 36 that were sparked in the past day, including the Spallumcheen fire, that the wildfire service says was caused by lightning and was discovered at about 2 p.m. Friday.

The service says that of the fires burning Friday, 110 were caused by lightning, 19 by human activity and seven had unknown causes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2023.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version used the placeline of Spallumcheen, B.C. In fact, the placeline is Smithers, B.C.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2023