B.C. wildfire expected to cross into Alberta today

One of B.C.'s biggest wildfires is expected to cross over to Alberta today.

The Siphon Creek fire was about 6 km from the Alberta border Wednesday afternoon, said Emily Epp, fire information officer with the BC Wildfire Service in Prince George.

"We are expecting it will likely cross the Alberta border today, " she said.

 At 9,000 hectares in size, the Siphon Creek fire is continuing to grow.

Normally, B.C. crews fight fires in B.C., and.Alberta crews work on the Alberta side.

But Epp says B.C. firefighters have agreed to continue battling the fire on the Alberta side as well, so Alberta crews can concentrate on the Fort McMurray blaze.

"To aid in their efforts, we've made the agreement we'll continue fighting this on both sides of the border," said Epp. 

"We've agreed to go in to Alberta and continue fighting it to help them out." 

The Siphon Creek fire is just one of 53 wildfires now burning in northern British Columbia. Most are in the Peace region. 

Several hundred homes in five rural areas and a First Nations community are under evacuation alerts.

But there are no immediate threats to homes or people.

"This is a precautionary alert," said Epp. "They're not actively threatened. But we want people to be aware of the situation."

Indeed, a new evacuation alert was issued last night, along with a travel advisory, for Mile 80 of the Alaska Highway. The Stoddart Creek Fire is visible from the popular tourist route north of Fort St. John.

Fire officials say the region is experiencing a record number of fires, about three times more than the historical average. 

Back in April, record heat and high winds sparked 35 wildfires in one night. Rural homes and oil and gas facilities were evacuated, highways were shut down, and two homes were destroyed.