B.C. wildfires: Entiako Provincial Park evacuation order issued

Evacuation orders have been issued for Entiako Provincial Park, Tetachuck Lake and Chelaslie River as a wildfire in Chelaslie Arm grows to 8,000 hectares in B.C.'s northwest region.

The Regional District of Bulkey-Nechako issued an evacuation order Monday, covering the northeast half of Tetachuck Lake to the south side of Chelaslie River, and the whole area within the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako Electoral Area "E" (Ootsa/François Lake Rural).

BC Parks has also closed nearby Entiako Provincial Park and issued an evacuation order for all cabin owners and any recreational users within the park.

The Chelaslie Arm wildfire, which is burning some 200 kilometres southwest of Prince George, was discovered on Tuesday and is believed to have been caused by lightning.

On B.C.'s south coast, the fire risk is high to extreme and a campfire ban has been issued throughout the entire Kamloops Fire Centre, beginning on Wednesday.

The ban applies to open fires of any size, fires with a burn registration number, industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches, sky lanterns and burning barrels.

However, it does not apply to stoves or portable campfire apparatus that use gas, propane or briquettes, as long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

In the Cariboo Regional District, the Euchiniko Lakes wildfire, also believed to have been sparked by lightning, has grown to cover 2,000 hectares since it was discovered on Tuesday.

As of Monday, 120 firefighters were trying to control the blaze, with six helicopters continuing to bucket the fire to support ground crews.

A local state of emergency was declared in the district and an evacuation order issued for the Euchiniko Lakes Ranch on Sunday.

Last week, three oil and gas worker camps were evacuated due to concerns over the spreading Red Deer Creek wildfire, which was estimated to cover 3,852 hectares on Monday and has 120 firefighters working around the clock to contain it.

According to B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch, crews have made great progress on the fire and are continuing to build a fireline. If conditions permit, crews were hoping to carry out some controlled burning on Monday.

Five other wildfires were listed on the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch's "wildfires of note" list Monday afternoon.

In Prince George Fire Centre:

• 22km Tenakihi. 
• Mount McAllister Fire. 
• Mugaha Fire. 
• Valley south of Morfee Lake.

In Cariboo Fire Centre:

• Soda Creek.

Dozens of other wildfires are also burning across the province. On Sunday, 21 firefighters from Ontario arrived in Kamloops to help support B.C.'s wildfire fighting efforts.