UPDATE: Work camps evacuated due to fast moving fire

PRINCE GEORGE – High winds and hot, dry weather have fuelled a fire southeast of Tumbler Ridge, fanning it to more than 3,000 hectares and forcing evacuations of two oil and gas work camps in the area.

The fire, which was started by lightning this weekend, is 61 kilometres southeast of Tumbler Ridge and was expected to see ‘significant growth’ from Tuesday through Wednesday. At 4 p.m. Tuesday it was listed at 650 ha and by noon Wednesday it had grown to an estimated 3,100 ha.

Currently more than 70 B.C. Wildfire personnel are on site along with five helicopters and four airtankers.

The active fire has forced the evacuation of 200 people from the work camps. The evacuation was ordered around 2 p.m. today to the camps in the Red Deer Creek, Ojay and Grizzly South areas. Backcountry travellers are asked to avoid the areas as well.

B.C. Wildfire notes there is oil and gas value northeast of the fire that is not immediately threatened by the blaze.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 2:23 p.m., July 9, 2014 with new fire size.