Aggressive wildfire prompts highway closure in B.C.'s far north as evacuation alert issued

The Alaska Highway, Highway 97, in the province's far north was open to single-lane alternating traffic Tuesday morning after a closure due to the Summit Lake wildfire west of Fort Nelson, B.C., on Monday.

DriveBC first posted about the highway closure just before 10:30 a.m. PT on Monday, with no detour available on the critical route leading west from Fort Nelson, located around 1,050 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

It partially reopened after 9 p.m. PT to allow single-lane alternating traffic, with DriveBC warning the status could change quickly depending on the wildfire conditions.

In an update around 9:45 a.m. PT Tuesday, DriveBC said the alternating traffic remains in effect between Grouse Trail and Toad Mountain Road.

The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said Monday that the wildfire was "displaying aggressive fire behaviour" and growing toward the highway.

"Due to ongoing drought conditions, dry weather and strong winds, this wildfire experienced significant overnight growth on June 1 into June 2," the service said.

The Summit Lake blaze currently covers an area of 21.25 square kilometres, and is classified as a "wildfire of note" — which means it is particularly visible or poses a threat to public safety.

The cause of the blaze is now under investigation, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service, which initially said it was caused by human activity.

The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality issued an evacuation alert for a stretch of the highway between Summit Lake and Steamboat on Monday evening, meaning those in the area should be ready to leave on a moment's notice.

Fire information officer Madison Dahl said that the fire was discovered on May 28, a few valleys away from the highway, but grew aggressively between Sunday and Monday.

"We do have the conditions here, with that hot, dry weather and the winds, to potentially actually have new fires," she told CBC News.

"The conditions just were dry enough and warm enough that it caused the fire to pick up, and increase in size, and move its way over the hills and down the valley towards the highway," she said.

Bryan Stanley, the owner of the Triple G Hideaway RV Park in Fort Nelson, said Monday evening that he was busy finding spots for a number of travellers that had been stranded due to the highway closure.

"It's been a little bit of chaos," he said. "Everybody's disappointed they can't carry on, but they're happy that we're open and they have a place to come and eat and stay."

2nd 'wildfire of note' in B.C.

The wildfire along the Alaska Highway is the second "wildfire of note" burning in B.C., referring to blazes that are particularly visible or pose a threat to public safety.

In the province's northeast, south of Dawson Creek, the Kiskatinaw River wildfire on the B.C.-Alberta border has led to evacuation orders covering 55 addresses in the Kelly Lake community area.

That wildfire, which covers just over 39 square kilometres, showed growth along its south flank on Monday, according to an online update from the BCWS.

The service says the fire has not progressed westward, nor advanced northeast toward the community of Kelly Lake.

It is burning close to the Pembina Steeprock gas processing facility and Highway 52 East, which has been partially closed as a result.

Just over 70 wildfires are burning across B.C. as of Monday evening, over half of which were classified as out of control.

Wildfire activity has, so far, been concentrated in the province's northeast and far north, with the BCWS saying the north in particular is expected to have widespread drying and winds to start the week.

"As the week progresses, we expect hot, dry, and windy conditions across much of the province," the service said in an update Monday.

"This combination of factors is likely to intensify fire behaviour, especially in areas that have been dealing with drought conditions year after year, such as the northeast corner of the province."