Early season wildfire north of Lillooet sparks evacuation alert

BC Wildfire Service suspects a 20-hectare blaze north of Lillooet was human-caused.

It was discovered yesterday afternoon, April 18. Firefighters are holding it at 20 hectares as of this morning, but Ts'kw'aylaxw First Nation residents in the area remain on evacuation alert, according to BC Wildfire Service.

No structures have been burned so far, but the fire did start within the First Nation's Pavillion Reserve 1 near Highway 99. It remains a "couple hundred metres" away from buildings on the reserve, according to wildfire information officer Karley Desrosier.

The South East Skwish Creek wildfire didn't grow overnight after the wildfire service worked to suppress the blaze from the ground and with a helicopter on April 18. Cool temperatures and humidity kept the blaze within its perimeters, Desrosier said.

It's being held with 13 firefighters at the scene. The wildfire service doesn't expect it to expand beyond the set perimeters.

The South East Skwish Creek wildfire is the 23rd wildfire in the Kamloops Fire Centre this year and the eighth active fire, according to the wildfire service.

The wildfire season began April 3 and the majority of fires in the province are suspected to be human-caused.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.