UPDATE: Residents near Cherry Creek fire west of Kamloops being evacuated

KAMLOOPS – A large grass fire is burning in the area of Cherry Creek, just west of Kamloops and nearby residents are being evacuated.

B.C. Wildfire Information Officer Jody Lucius says the blaze, which was spotted earlier this afternoon, July 5, has already grown to 15 hectares.

Kamloops Fire Rescue Capt. David Ferguson says crews orginally responded to a car crash with a rescue truck, but that vehicle doesn't have firefighting capabilities, and since it's outside the fire department's jurisdiction, they were called back.

Ferguson says the New Gold Mine west of Kamloops has been called to assist along with B.C. Wildfire.

Lucius says 47 wildfire firefighters are responding, along with several aircraft, two water tenders and a heavy equipment vehicle.

"We are seeing that there are residences threatened by this fire," Lucius says.

Thompson Nicola Regional District emergency operations information officer Debbie Sell says crews have been putting in work on the ground and in the air, but some homes in the immediate area are being evacuated.

"The RCMP are on site and they're doing a tactical evacuation," Sell says. "It's the homes that are close to Cherry Road."

Sell says the District is waiting to hear from the wildfire management branch how many homes are being immediately affected by the blaze.

Officials with New Gold have not yet responded to a request for comment.

– This story was updated at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, 2017, to include new information from the Thompson Nicola Regional District.

– This story was updated at 5:29 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, 2017, to include new information from the B.C. Wildfire.

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