UPDATE: Crews battling wildfire in Lac Du Bois area near Kamloops

KAMLOOPS – The wildfire burning in the Lac Du Bois Grasslands Protected Area northeast of Kamloops has grown to 1.5 hectares this afternoon, May 15.

Kelsey Winter with B.C. Wildfire Management says 12 firefighters are working to contain the fire near O’Connor Road. Air tankers are also dropping retardant on the blaze.

She says the 1.5-hectare fire is burning Rank 2 and Rank 3, which means it’s a moderately vigorous surface fire with some fire in the trees.

The fire is burning in heavy timber and it’s a hot day, but Winter says they hope to have the blaze under control soon.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and the Origin and Cause team has been sent to the scene, she says.

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— This story was updated at 3:18 p.m., Sunday, May 15, 2016 to include new information from B.C. Wildfire.

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