“Fire behavior is being affected by gusty winds in the area,” BCWS warned in a tweet Thursday afternoon. “This is a dynamic situation and updates will be provided as they become available.”
BCWS reports the Nohonim Creek fire started at 12:45 p.m. and the cause of the fire is unknown.
The fire is located on the west side of the Fraser River, across from the village of Lytton which was destroyed by a raging wildfire just over a year ago.
THE pic.twitter.com/qTIxrZfBsa
—@BCGovFireInfo
Homes and property on the west coast, part of the Lytton First Nation reserve, were largely spared any damage at the time.
Photos of this latest fire show a large plume of smoke rising from land, with structures in the fire’s path. The Lytton Ferry, currently out of service due to the high flows of the Fraser River, is nearby.
View from the east side near a gas station, facing the west side. Water bombers now in place. pic.twitter.com/8t8I8nmqXn
—@UBCIC
Road access to the area is limited. West Coast residents have been crossing the Fraser River on foot, over a CN rail bridge, for weeks.
The BC Hydro website says power to the township of Lytton has been out since 1:16 p.m. Crews are expected to arrive at 5:15 p.m. There are currently 112 people without power.
“The events of 2021… are at the forefront of our minds”
Local and state officials issued a situation update at 4:15 p.m. John Haugen, deputy chief of the Lytton First Nation, thanked authorities and residents for their quick response to the fire. He said there are evacuation orders for IR 23 Nohomin and Lytton IR9B. “We have three elders who are in the direct line of this fire and we’re working to make sure they’re safe and we can put the fire out as quickly as possible,” Haugen said, adding that there are about nine people under evacuation orders in his community. “We’re experiencing another fire… in the Hell’s Gate area. We have to be prepared for a lot of things in a very short period of time,” he said.
Because Lytton, BC, is one of the hottest places in Canada
Johanna Wagstaffe explains how the geography of Lytton causes the village’s temperature to exceed 30C, on average, 80 times during the summer. Rob Schweitzer, director of fire station operations in Kamloops, said there are about 54 crew members on the ground and the RCMP and local fire department also responded to the fire. “The events of 2021 and the impact on the village of Lytton and the Lytton First Nation are at the forefront of our minds,” Schweitzer said. “We ask for your respect and kindness as we report this incident. Our primary focus is the safety of the crews and residents affected at this time.”
“Prepare yourself and your family”
Peter Brock, executive director of regional operations for Emergency Management BC said he has heard unconfirmed reports that “three structures may be lost.” Brock said emergency support, including food, shelter and clothing, will be provided to those ordered to evacuate for up to 72 hours. “The most important thing the public can do right now is to prepare yourself and your family for potential wildfires in your areas,” Brock said.
