Wildfire evacuation alerts were issued for two northern B.C. communities over the weekend, as multiple blazes sparked throughout the region.
The BC Wildfire Service says people living in the Endako area, about 170 kilometres west of Prince George, and those in the Burgess Creek area, about 45 kms southeast of Quesnel, should be prepared to leave in case conditions worsen.
The Endako fire was discovered on Saturday (April 20) and has grown to about 25 hectares in size. It’s considered out of control and is believed to be human-caused. The evacuation alert, issued Sunday, covers all lands, properties, and dwellings for areas east of Savory Road and west of Endako Mine Road, north of the railway and south of the PNG pipeline.
The Burgess Creek blaze was also discovered on Saturday and has ballooned to 1,600 hectares since. As with the Endako fire, the Burgess Creek one is classified as out of control and is believed to have been started by a person. The evacuation alert there covers six parcels of land, or about 3,283 hectares of land.
Numerous other blazes also cropped up in the Cariboo and Prince George fire centres over the weekend, although those are considered small and contained, for the time being.
BC Wildfire Service says there are 119 active wildfires in the province as of midday Monday (April 22), eight of which were discovered in the last 24 hours. Of the total, 29 per cent are attributed to humans.
The service has already issued bans on any fire larger than a campfire in the Cariboo and Prince George fire centres, as well as many areas of the Northwest Fire Centre. People are encouraged to take extra care not to start a blaze.
For those under evacuation alert, the BC Wildfire Service recommends people make a plan with family and loved ones, gather all essential items so they’re ready for a quick departure, move pets and livestock to a safe area, and arrange for transportation and accommodation ahead of time.
-With files from Binny Paul and Angie Mindus
READ ALSO: Drought, heat raise risk of repeat of last summer’s record-breaking wildfires
READ ALSO: Urban firefighters to get additional training to also battle wildfire blazes