Forest fire smoke blankets B.C. community

A First Nations band near Alexis Creek in central British Columbia is scrambling to move people out of the area as heavy smoke from forest fires blankets their community.

Members of the Tl'etinqox-t'in First Nation have expressed concerned about the smoke and soot that is blowing into the community.

Through an interpreter, 67-year-old Alexis Stump said he's leaving the area, just to be safe.

"It's not really bothering him right now yet," the interpreter said, "but some of the elders who were here this morning were saying they can just smell and breathe … they are tasting the smoke and ash."

About 130 people — mostly elders, children and people with health issues — have been moved to Williams Lake.

Chief Joe Alphonse said the community has asked for help, but Health Canada and the Department of Indian Affairs said they were still assessing the situation.

"This is a major, major crisis that we're dealing with here, and they need to take that stuff seriously," he said.

"These government agencies, these bureaucrats that live in Vancouver ... need to know [and] appreciate the situation and understand that the challenges we have of living in places like this and, you know, to be sitting there and telling us they're doing their assessment — what are they assessing, a piece of paper?"

While many have left the community, Coun. Sherry Stump said many others are staying put.

"There are a lot of members that don't want to leave home," she said.

"They are afraid for their homes, and even though the heavy smoke is a serious health issue, they are refusing to leave."

Grace Pickell, a fire information officer, said that such low-lying smoke is often a sign of cooler temperatures.

"So on the one hand, the cooler temperatures reduces the fire behaviour, and that's a good thing," Pickell said. "On the other hand, we can't get aircraft up."

Fire officials said cooler temperatures are expected over the weekend, and forecasters said there is a possibility of rain in the coming days.

Alexis Creek is about 80 kilometres west of Williams Lake.

More firefighters arrive in B.C.

With more than 400 fires burning across the province, B.C. firefighters are getting support from out of province and even out of the country.

More than 200 fire personnel from Washington state, Ontario and Alberta have arrived in B.C to help battle the fires.

They will join the 250 out-of province firefighters who arrived last week, as well as the 2,000 B.C. fire officials already working.

"Right now, 411 wildfires are burning in the province, 74 of which started over the last three days," B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch said Thursday afternoon.

The Cariboo region in the centre of the province is of particular concern, with three separate blazes keeping residents from their homes.

Fire crews have responded to 1,272 wildfires in B.C. since April 1, the fire service said. The fires have burned a total of 933 square kilometres.

Residents ordered out of homes

Several large fires in the province continue to burn, with many residents still under evacuation orders and alerts.

A fire at Dog Creek, west of 100 Mile House, had scorched an estimated 6,600 hectares by Friday morning.

Several residents in the area remained under an evacuation order, while others were put on alert.

Officials said the fire was about 20 per cent contained, with more than 100 firefighters and six helicopters working to battle the blaze.

At Meldrum Creek, near Williams Lake, several fires burning in the area covered more than 18,000 hectares combined. Several residents in the area remained under an evacuation order.

More than 200 firefighters and 12 helicopters were on scene.

In Lillooet, to the south of those fires, the Jade Mountain wildfire — burning since July 21 — had grown to an estimated 1,900 hectares.

Officials said the fire was 15 per cent contained.

Residents of the Yalakom Valley and one property on the Bridge River Reserve remained on evacuation alert, as more than 170 firefighters and 10 helicopters worked to get the fire under control.