weather c
Vancouver
airing now
91.5FM
|
91.5HD2
airing now
weather8.85 c
Edmonton
airing now
|
91.5 FM
91.5 HD2

Residents back home after evacuations in Williams Lake, B.C.

BY The Canadian Press, Jul 22, 2024 5:53 PM - REPORT AN ERROR

The alert spans properties along Mackenzie Ave., Country Club Boulevard., Fairview Drive, Woodland Drive, Westridge Drive, as well as Tolko's Lakeview Mill.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

A fast-moving wildfire on the edge of the City of Williams Lake in British Columbia's central Interior triggered evacuations as water bombers swooped low over the community over the weekend.

But the director of the community's emergency operations centre says residents have since been told they can go home after the tactical evacuations conducted by Mounties on Sunday.

Rob Warnocksays in video posted to the city's website last night that those homes are subject to an evacuation alert, meaning residents must be ready to leave again quickly.

The alert spans properties along Mackenzie Ave., Country Club Boulevard., Fairview Drive, Woodland Drive, Westridge Drive, as well as Tolko's Lakeview Mill.

Warnock says the 20-hectare blaze was sparked when a tree fell on power lines in the river valley on the city's west side at about 5:45 p.m. Sunday, though the BC Wildfire Service website says the official cause is still under investigation.

Videos shared on social media show smoke billowing from behind businesses and homes with a plane dropping red fire retardant and photos appeared to show at least one business on fire.

With the winds at the time, Warnock says the fire "made a big run" down the valley on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, the city had asked residents to conserve as much water as possible for fire crews taking on the blaze.

The number of wildfires across the province has jumped to more than 320 with clusters along B.C.'s boundary with Alberta as well as in the central Interior.

The BC Wildfire Service says the fires are showing up in areas that have seen dry lightning strikes in recent days.

Latest News

Share on

Sign up for the newsletter

We'll deliver best of entertainment right into your inbox
We love to hear from our listeners, so feel free to send us message
whatsUp icon
Message us on whatsapp