Wildfires close several highways in northern B.C., while evacuation orders downgraded to alerts in Interior

B.C. wildfire crews say they're watching high winds with the potential to fan flames in the province's north, while some evacuation orders were downgraded in the province's Interior.

Officials have warned that most new fire starts are human-caused amid cooler conditions late in the wildfire season, and urged British Columbians to be vigilant and respect fire bans over the Labour Day long weekend.

While cooler conditions have aided firefighters in the southern half of the province, high winds in the north have led many fires to become more aggressive.

On Saturday evening, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) issued an evacuation alert for all properties along Ootsa Lake Road due to the Wells Creek wildfire.

Mark Parker, the chair of the RDBN, told CBC News that 72 properties were placed on evacuation order on Saturday across the district.

The renewed evacuation orders come as dozens of properties were affected by orders earlier in the wildfire season.

"It is frustrating that we sort of dealt with these fires once and now we're dealing with them a second time," he said. "This has been such an unprecedented fire season.

"We're all just kind of just trying to shed water and keep our heads above that."

Another concerning fire in the northwest is the Little Blue River wildfire 30 kilometres south of the Yukon border in the northwest, which jumped Highway 37 on Friday. A 70-kilometre stretch of the highway was closed with no detour available, but re-opened late Saturday to single-lane alternating traffic.

Kaitlyn Bailey, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), said winds were gusting up to 60 km/h on Friday, pushing the Little Blue River wildfire across the road.

"While that fire had previously crossed Hwy. 37 in certain spots, there was much more widespread cross [Friday]," she told CBC News.

Winds died down slightly on Saturday, but Bailey said the fire was still behaving aggressively.

Another fire forced the closure of Highway 77 north of Fort Nelson, near the N.W.T. border, in northeast B.C. On Saturday, the Fort Nelson First Nation issued an evacuation order Saturday evening for IR#5 in the Snake River Reserve area.

Evacuation alerts are in place along a stretch of Highway 77, with the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality urging those camping in the area to leave immediately.

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Erika Berg from the BCWS said "extreme" winds were affecting the far north.

"With several days of hot and dry conditions, we were forecasting that fuels would be really [receptive] to high spread when those winds come in," she told CBC News Network. "That is what we did see on some of our large incidents in those regions."

While the south is trending towards more fall-like conditions, Berg said the weather could be drier than anticipated this weekend, which may cause flare-ups.

"We are transitioning into fall out of the peak of summer," she said. "But this wildfire season is not over yet."

WATCH | Kelowna residents thank first responders for saving homes: 

Kelowna neighbourhood thanks firefighters after homes saved

1 year ago

Duration 4:14

Even as wildfires roared around the Wilden community in late August, all residents were able to return to intact homes. They released a video with residents thanking first responders. Credit: Crissy Zach and Wilden Development.

Evacuation orders downgraded in Interior

Evacuation orders for 26 properties in the Kamloops and Shuswap Lake areas, affected by two separate wildfires, have been lifted and downgraded to alert status.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued a statement Saturday saying the changes involve three properties affected by the ongoing Rossmoore Lake wildfire south of Kamloops, and 23 properties affected by the Bush Creek East blaze.

Residents of properties placed on evacuation alert can return to their homes, but should still be prepared to leave on short notice, the statement reads. 

The regional district says the downgraded evacuation orders allowed officials to expand the alert areas in both the Rossmoore Lake and Bush Creek East wildfire areas.

It also advises residents of 11 properties in the Little Shuswap Lake area to access their homes by boat due to fire damage to the local road.

The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District also downgraded evacuation orders for 14 properties in Sorrento, B.C., on Saturday.

Regional district officials say about 200 homes in the Shuswap lake area have been destroyed or significantly damaged in the Bush Creek East wildfire.

Some evacuation orders were also downgraded to alerts in West Kelowna on Saturday, with the Regional District of Central Okanagan saying many residents of the McNaughton Road area could return home.