Wildfire along Highway 1 in B.C.'s Fraser Valley now classified as 'held'

A wildfire that flared up along the Trans-Canada Highway between Chilliwack and Hope, B.C., is now classified as "being held," and isn't expected to spread beyond its boundaries.

The one-hectare blaze had forced the closure of an eastbound lane on Monday.

The BC Wildfire Service says human activity is the suspected cause.

It's one of more than 150 wildfires active in the province, with clusters in the northeast and the central Interior.

Of those fires, more than half are considered under control, while 37 per cent are out of control and 10 per cent are classified as being held.

Nearly 730 firefighting personnel have been deployed across B.C., with crews from Australia and New Zealand expected to arrive on Friday as hot and dry conditions persist in parts of the province.

Environment Canada has maintained heat warnings for parts of the southern Interior, covering the Fraser Canyon, Okanagan Valley, Williams Lake, Kootenay Lake and Cranbrook areas.

Daytime highs in the 30s are expected to continue through this week.