Little Bobtail Lake fire surveyed by B.C. Premier Christy Clark

B.C. Premier Christy Clark is calling a wildfire that has already scorched more than 130 square kilometres in the central Interior "alarming."

Clark was in Prince George on Friday to get an update on the Little Bobtail Lake fire, which was reported May 9 and is now 32 times the size of Vancouver's Stanley Park. 

By the afternoon, the Wildfire Management Branch was reporting that nearly 200 people, eight helicopters, 22 pieces of equipment and eight tankers were battling the blaze that had forced municipalities to issues evacuation orders and alerts that residents may have to leave at any moment.

"There has not been a fire this big, this early in the year since 1983, and this fire's bigger," said Clark. "I want to draw people's attention to the impact that this fire and fires like this are going to happen all over the province."

Bill Miller, chairman of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, said local officials have placed about 700 to 800 residences east of Prince George under evacuation alert. He said about 60 residences were placed under evacuation order, although most of those are seasonal homes.

The neighbouring Regional District of Fraser-Fort George issued evacuation orders to about 130 people last Sunday night and evacuation alerts to about 122 properties the next day, said information officer Renee McCloskey.

"You can see the smoke from town," she said from Prince George.

McCloskey said fire officials may upgrade the evacuation alerts to orders and they are preparing group accommodations.

"We do know that fires cost hundreds of millions of dollars," said Clark.

"It was $300 million dollars we spent last year putting out fires. If we keep on this track, it's going to be more this year. And, you know, British Columbians aren't giving us more money."

Almost half of all wildfires in the province are caused by people, and the Wildfire Management Branch said resources are unnecessarily tied up to deal with them.

Clark said people won't want to see another blaze like the Little Bobtail Lake fire and she urged everybody to be careful in the forests.