UPDATE 5:44 p.m.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has expanded an evacuation alert to another 145 properties due to the Shetland Creek wildfire.
Effective 4 p.m. Thursday, a total of 170 properties are now on evacuation alert in Electoral Area I spanning from Spences Bridge to the border of the Ashcroft Ranch.
The alert has expanded since the TNRD placed 25 properties on evacuation alert Wednesday evening.
“This evacuation alert is in place to prepare you to evacuate your premises or property should it be found necessary,” the TNRD said.
“Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to an evacuation order, however you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.”
The TNRD has advised residents under the alert to locate all family members and designate a meeting area outside the alert area, pack a essential items, prepare to move disabled people if assistance is needed, prepare to take pets and move large animals and livestock, and arrange transportation for all household members.
More information on what to do while under an evacuation alert is available online.
The expanded evacuation alert comes on the heels of an expanded evacuation order. The TNRD placed 76 properties in the Venables Valley on evacuation order Wednesday, and as of Thursday at 4 p.m., the order was expanded to include an additional nine properties in Electoral Area I.
UPDATE 5:29 p.m.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has expanded an evacuation order citing immediate danger to life and safety due to the Shetland Creek wildfire.
About 76 properties in the Venables Valley were placed on evacuation order Wednesday, and now the order has expanded to include an additional nine properties in Electoral Area I effective 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The order encompasses properties in Venables and up to Hat Creek Road, east of Oregon Jack Park.
Evacuees are asked to report to the ESS Reception Centre in the basement of the Cache Creek Community Hall.
"If you are in the described area, you must leave immediately. A person must not enter the evacuation order area for purposes of residing, occupying, or visiting the area," the TNRD said.
Evacuees are asked to take critical items such as medicine, purses, wallets and keys.
Pets should be transported in kennels or on a leash, gate latches should be closed but not locked, all electrical power sources should be turned off, and electrical appliances other than fridges and freezers should be turned off.
The TNRD advised natural gas should not be turned off, and FortisBC will be turn off natural gas services as needed.
"Gather your family and, if you have room, take a neighbour or someone needing transportation. Do not use more vehicles than you need to," the TNRD said.
"If you require transportation assistance from the area, advise the person providing this emergency notice, or call the TNRD at: 250-377-7188."
The TNRD asks that people arrange to stay with family or friends if possible.
UPDATE 4:15 p.m.
Nandini Villeneuve and other residents of the Saranagati Hare Krishna village were in a meeting with emergency staff from the Thompson-Nicola Regional District late Wednesday when it was announced that a wildfire bearing down on the religious community had worsened.
“It kind of just took off and then we were told that the meeting is done, and you guys are getting out of here,” said Villeneuve.
She said that when she and the 25 families living in Sarangati left for Cache Creek around 7 p.m. the Shetland Creek wildfire was descending the mountain "like lava coming down," shocking evacuees with its speed.
Villeneuve said the fire was "intense."
"I have a mountain right in front of me, and it was raging all across, all across the mountain range," she said.
“When we left last night, we didn’t know if we would have a home this morning,” said Villeneuve.
In Cache Creek, Villeneuve said residents of Saranagati planned to gather to discuss their stressful escape, to "talk about it, and gather our thoughts."
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness issued a news release about the evacuation, saying Saranagati included a K-12 school and a temple, and the community was "requesting the prayers of devotees around the world."
"It's just part of life living in the Interior of B.C., especially when you're surrounded by forest … you kind of just get used to it," said Villeneuve.
"But when it's, like, right on your doorstep, it's pretty scary. So, definitely a roller-coaster of emotions," she added. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
The Canadian Press
UPDATE: 3:25 p.m.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District says as of Thursday afternoon, there have been no structures lost due to the Shetland Creek wildfire, burning north of Spences Bridge.
The 4,989-hectare wildfire was discovered on Friday, July 12, and is believed to have been sparked by lightning. On Wednesday night, strong winds caused the Shetland Creek blaze to merge with another fire burning to the south and prompted the TNRD and Cook’s Ferry Indian Band to issue evacuation orders and alerts.
The TNRD said about 75 properties in Venables Valley were placed on evacuation order, with an evacuee reception centre set up in Cache Creek.
Colton Davies, TNRD Emergency Operations Centre information officer, told Castanet Kamloops no one has been injured, and no structures have been lost at this point in the valley.
Davies said the evacuation went smoothly on Wednesday night.
“At the time the order was recommended and then coming in, we did have TNRD staff in the community as well — we were actually meeting about FireSmart with people,” Davies said.
“We've had pretty good communication with people up there in the last few days fortunately, and so it was really easy to relay information. By the time the formal notice came down at about 9 p.m., really the evacuation had already happened by then.”
Davies said emergency staff have given Venables Valley community members a lot of credit for having a well-organized evacuation plan and well-implemented FireSmart measures.
He noted Venables Valley is a tight-knit community of about 100 residents.
“I know our staff were very appreciative of residents there on what was probably a very hard day — or maybe one of the hardest days for a lot of residents, having to get up and leave with a pretty major fire encroaching, so a lot of credit for them,” Davies said.
He said the fire, fanned by strong winds, was very visible as it grew over Wednesday night.
“People reported smoke and ash even falling as far north as the South Cariboo, with the way the wind was carrying it,” he said.
Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations for BC Wildfire Service, said the fire saw aggressive Rank 4 and Rank 5 behaviour — meaning a highly to extremely vigorous surface fire, with torching or an active fire crown.
Chapman said suppression efforts were challenged on the ground, and efforts then focused on trying to ensure people left the evacuation order area safely and quickly.
“For the first time this season on a wildfire we actually deployed our night vision capable aircraft onto that fire,” he said.
“It came over from Penticton to ensure that our crews were safe on the ground, and to support both the evacuation order and getting people out but also our ground operations so we could do them more safely.”
Davies said the TNRD’s EOC is “all hands on deck,” especially with hot, dry and windy conditions and lightning forecast over the next few days.
He noted they are expecting continued fire activity, and ask residents to remain vigilant.
Residents are asked to sign up for Voyent Alert notifications, which will provide notice if an evacuation order or alert is issued for their area.
Davies said in the event of an evacuation order, TNRD EOC staff, RCMP or search and rescue crews will alert residents, but Voyent Alert is a good method to receive specific messaging from the TNRD.
On Thursday, dozens of BCWS firefighters and structure protection personnel were sent to work on the Shetland Creek fire, along with heavy equipment and water tenders.
Five helicopters are conducting reconnaissance and bucketing water to cool the wildfire.
UPDATE: 1:40 p.m.
The Shetland Creek blaze, which combined with a nearby wildfire and grew to about 5,000 hectares in size over Wednesday night, is now considered to be a wildfire of note.
The wildfire, which was discovered on Friday, July 12, is burning just north of Spences Bridge. The aggressive blaze has prompted the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Cook’s Ferry Indian Band to issue evacuation orders and alerts for dozens of properties in the area.
It is the only wildfire of note currently burning in the province, according to the BC Wildfire Service map.
Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations with BCWS, said Thursday an Incident Management Team has been assigned to the wildfire.
“They arrived late [Wednesday] night, and are still transitioning in this morning," Chapman said.
"Heading there right now and on site is two unit crews and four initial attack crews, somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 individuals, to support suppression efforts on that fire, in addition to structure protection and structure defence personnel and a specialist that is working to secure any of the structures in the valley bottom that that fire might be threatening.”
According to BCWS, three water tenders and multiple pieces of heavy equipment have been assigned to the fire.
Ground crews are being supported by five helicopters, which are being used for reconnaissance and bucketing water to cool the fire.
Evacuation orders and alerts were issued Wednesday night as the wildfire, pushed by strong winds, exhibited Rank 4 and 5 behaviour and challenged suppression efforts.
UPDATE: 9:55 a.m.
The Shetland Creek and Teit Creek wildfires burning near Spences Bridge merged together Wednesday night, and strong winds in the area caused the massive growth of the combined blaze.
During a Thursday morning press conference from Kamloops, Director of Wildfire Operations Cliff Chapman said the large fire was "aggressive" Wednesday evening, exhibiting Rank 4 and 5 behaviour, and crews suppression efforts have been challenged.
The BC Wildfire Service currently estimates the combined size of the fires at 5,000 hectares.
Chapman says structures are threatened in the area, leading to the evacuation orders implemented Wednesday evening, but he said he doesn't believe any homes have been impacted as of Thursday morning.
He said that while the entire region saw increased winds Wednesday evening, the Fraser Canyon in particular saw strong winds whip through the tight valley, pushing the Shetland Creek fire over the ridge and combining with the Teit Creek fire.
The large flame front was then pushed down the slope by the winds, resulting in the rapid growth.
As a result, more resources are on their way to the area. Chapman said about 55 firefighters have now been assigned to the Shetland Creek fire, along with structure protection specialists.
ORIGINAL: 9:10 a.m.
A wildfire burning north of Spences Bridge appears to have massively increased in size, with Thursday morning's size estimate now at 4,125 hectares. Dozens of homes are now under evacuation order.
The Shetland Creek fire, burning about 7.5 kilometres north of the small community, was estimated by the BC Wildfire Service to be about 285 hectares Wednesday night, but the latest estimate is nearly 15 times that.
An evacuation order was was made by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Wednesday night for 76 properties in the Venables Valley area, west of Highway 1, while the Cook's Ferry Indian Band also ordered the evacuation of residents on Reserves #5, 6, 8A, 19 Firstly and 22.
A number of homes in the area have also been placed under evacuation alert and must be ready to leave their homes at a moment's notice.
More evacuation information can be found here.
On its website, the BCWS has also changed its response type on the Shetland Creek fire to “full.”
The BCWS is hosting a press conference Thursday morning where more information is expected to be released about the rapidly growing fire.
