Wildfire crews ‘mopping up’ after blaze erupts in Williams Lake – BC News

UPDATE 2:15 p.m.

Residents of Williams Lake, B.C., got a front-row look at the wildfire fight to save their community, with water bombers swooping low and dropping red fire retardant, crews spraying structure fires from ladders and RCMP evacuating residents.

The BC Wildfire Service said fire crews were “mopping up” Monday after Sunday’s dramatic battle to save the B.C. Interior community.

The River Valley fire reached the western edge of the town, destroying some structures in an industrial area and prompting evacuations as the city declared a local state of emergency.

Resident Spencer Stratton said “well over 100 people” had gathered about a block away from the fire front to watch crews battle the flames.

“Everybody was panicked, (which was) understandable because the fire was less than a road across from us,” he said.

“It was one set of buildings away from us — that’s how close the fire was.”

Stratton said he watched as the River Valley fire crept into the outskirts of the town by around 6 p.m. Sunday, spreading to buildings and vehicles at local businesses.

Videos shared on social media showed smoke billowing from behind businesses on MacKenzie Avenue as fire spread behind a school bus depot. Stratton said the buses were unscathed.

WL Forestry Supplies said in a Facebook post that the MacKenzie Avenue store had been saved thanks to the efforts of fire crews.

“We got lucky. Lost some equipment out back, but nothing serious,” the post said, adding that power was out and the store was closed.

Cariboo-Chilcotin legislator Lorne Doerkson said in social media posts that the fire “burned into our community last night very quickly,” prompting an “incredible response” from the BC Wildfire Service as a well as the Williams Lake Fire Department and other first responders.

Doerkson, who said there had been “explosions” during the firefight Sunday on the outskirts of town, said the efforts of the fire crews “had a massive impact.”

“There are some small spot fires, but I will say that there are very many groundcrews and equipment fighting what is left of this fire,” he said in a Facebook post around midnight Sunday.

In another post Monday he said fire crews from as far as Barrière more than 200 kilometres away had been involved.

Stratton said he remained calm and slept “peacefully” Sunday night at his home about eight kilometres from the fire, knowing crews were working to contain the blaze.

He said he went to MacKenzie Avenue Monday and the fire “looked contained,” although firefighting continued.

The wildfire service said firefighting aircraft would be working Monday to “cool down hot spots.”

“I believe they have it under control,” Stratton said.

But other residents weren’t so certain. Stephanie Symons said Monday that she had been getting messages and calls from friends “wondering what to do and if it’s time to pack up and go.”

“The fire is still very much active and flaring back up so I can’t tell you much other than we are all stressed and it’s not over,” Symons said in a message. “We just got a severe thunderstorm warning on top of all this so we are nowhere near in the clear yet.”

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UPDATE 11:15 a.m.

A wildfire is still burning out of control within Williams Lake city limits.

The River Valley fire is now listed at 40 hectares in size.

The City of Williams Lake says all water access to Williams Lake is now closed until further notice for any recreational or public use as aircraft use the lake for firefighting.

BC Wildfire Service says if necessary, skimmers may be utilized to fight the fire today and may skim water from Williams Lake. “Boaters are reminded to stay clear of operations. Water scooping aircraft require a long pick-up distance and wide berth to do their job safely.”

BCWS says ground crews will focus today on mopping up along the perimeter of the fire and push deeper into the fire’s edge to secure control lines. Aircraft will continue to be available to cool down hot spots.

The City of Williams Lake says all evacuation alerts are still in effect.

Mackenzie Avenue will be open from Highway 20 to Corner Street but Corner Street to Boundary Street will remained closed all day Monday. Flaggers will be on site to allow local traffic in and around the area.

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UPDATE 9:40 a.m.

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 Warnock says 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.

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ORIGINAL 5:50 a.m.

Portions of Williams Lake remain on evacuation alert after a wildfire broke out late Sunday, prompting the city to declare a state of local emergency.

The declaration came shortly after British Columbia’s minister for emergency management Bowinn Ma said evacuation alerts were being issued to follow up tactical evacuations.

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

The city says its aware that the fire reportedly started in the river valley northwest of the city Sunday afternoon.

As of 10:30 p.m. The BC Wildfire Service said the fire was 20 hectares in size and was being fought by initial attack crews and several aircraft.

BCWS said dry and warm conditions over the past several weeks, along with increased winds Sunday afternoon influenced the fire behaviour. It was displaying rank 3 and rank 4 fire behaviour.

The BCWS says it will continue to support the City of William Lake’s fire department with ground crews, aircraft, and heavy equipment and was working throughout the night to patrol and extinguish hot spots.

The cause is under investigation.

Late last night, the chief of the emergency operations centre posted a video online to update the community of the situation.

The wildfire is one of 319 blazes actively burning in B.C. right now, and fire officials say 19 have started in the last 24 hours.