(Update: As of Saturday, July 19 the Botaine Road wildfire near Lytton has grown to 1,500 hectares in size. It is displaying aggressive fire behaviour due to steep terrain and high winds. Objectives for fire crews are to protect nearby structures and keep the fire out of the Fraser Canyon corridor. The Murray Lake wildfire has gone from 400 to 300 hectares in size and is 30 per cent contained.)
A wildfire north of Lytton has led to the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) issuing an evacuation alert in electoral area ‘I’ (Blue Sky Country) and an evacuation order for residents on Botaine Creek Road late Thursday night. The area evacuated extends to all properties from Botaine Creek Road to and the junction of Highway 12 north up to Botaine Lake.
A reception hall has been set up in the parish hall at 140 Parish Rd in Lytton. The TNRD advises residents to travel north along Botaine Creek Road, Izman Creek forest service road and Laluwessin forest service road to Highway 12 and then south to Lytton.
TNRD emergency services supervisor Jason Tomlin told the Herald 52 properties were evacuated in the order on Botanie Creek Road and nine properties in electoral area ‘I’ are under evacuation alert.
The Botaine Creek wildfire began on Tuesday (July 15) and the Wildfire Management Branch suspects it to be human-caused.
Pictured here are the areas under evacuation alert and evacuation order due to the fire raging north of Lytton.
Pepper said the fire has grown due to dry conditions and wind. On Friday there were 29 firefighters and six helicopters battling the fire. Air tankers were unable to drop retardant due to poor visibility.
The evacuation alert for electoral area ‘I’ (Blue Sky Country) applies to all properties east of the Fraser River, along the Highway 12 corridor from Highway 12 and Botanie Creek Road to Highway 12 and Laluwissin Forest Service Road east to the western boundary of the Bootahnie IR #15.
In the event of an evacuation, the parish hall in Lytton is being used as a reception centre, where evacuees can register with Emergency Social Services. People in need of transportation assistance should call 1-866-377-7188.
The wildfire in the Murray Lake area, 40 kilometres from Merritt, has grown to 400 hectares in size. An evacuation order was issued for 30 properties along Murray Lake on Wednesday. With that evacuation order in place, people who have a cabin or other recreational property affected by the evacuation order are not allowed to return to the property to retrieve anything.
On Friday there were 10 firefighters, five members of a support staff, nine pieces of equipment, five helicopters and an incident management team battling the Murray lake wildfire, Pepper said.
Sprinkler protection units were set up on the cabin under threat of the fire, the Wildfire Management Branch told the Herald.
The Murray Lake wildfire is about five kilometres away from the Coquihalla Highway, however, that highway remains open, Pepper said.
For people in an area with an evacuation alert in place the TNRD lists the following things to do in the event of an evacuation:
• Locate all family members and be prepared to evacuate your residence and property to an
identified safe reception center.
• Gather essential items such as medications, eye glasses, valuable papers (insurance),
photographs and immediate care needs for dependants.
• Prepare to move any disabled persons and/or children.
• Collect small pets and pet needs.
• If possible, move large animals and livestock to a safe area on your property in
preparation of a potential evacuation.
• Ensure your vehicle has a full tank of gas. Arrange to transport your household members
in the event of an evacuation order.
• Monitor news sources for information for additional information.
