Watching Creek wildfire near Kamloops grows to 195 hectares

The wildfire burning around 15 kilometres from Kamloops’s city centre has grown to 195 hectares today.

“Aerial resources continue to evaluate the fire and are currently developing attack tactics,” B.C. Wildfire Service information officer Melonie Bibbau said.

Ground crews were evacuated yesterday afternoon, Aug.1, due to increased fire behaviour caused by higher temperatures and winds, and so far one unit crew is back onsite, along with several officers and four helicopters.

The blaze is now considered a wildfire of note by the wildfire service.

An evacuation alert was issued by the regional district's emergency operations centre yesterday.

The Watching Creek wildfire poses a threat to life and property on the northwest edge of Lac Du Bois Grasslands Protected Area and east including Pass Lake, McQueen Lake an Isobel Lake, according to the regional district.

There are a number of properties in the area, including one civic address, the McQueen Lake Environmental Education Centre.

The fire was caused by lightning and was first spotted July 29.

For the latest on evacuation alerts or orders go the regional district's emergency operations centre web page here.

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