B.C. wildfires update for July 1: Wildfire near Kamloops | Search begins for injured and missing people following Lytton blaze | Evacuations in Castlegar as fire gets close | Two reported dead in devastating Lytton fire
Here's a roundup of the latest news concerning the wildfires burning across B.C. for Thursday, July 1.
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B.C.’s 2021 wildfire season began officially when the George Road fire seven kilometres south of Lytton was reported on June 17. Three weeks later the Village of Lytton was destroyed by an unrelated spark and there were 100 active fires.
This post will provide updated and breaking news information on B.C.’s wildfire situation.
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LATEST NEWS on B.C.’s wildfires
Thursday, July 1
11:30 p.m. – Wildfire near Kamloops
An evacuation order of Juniper Ridge and Valleyview in East Kamloops has been rescinded after the B.C. Wildfire Service responded to a lightning-caused wildfire.
Eight personnel responded to the fire. The City of Kamloops had activated its Emergency Operations Centre to support the fire department.
Smoke was highly visible to travellers along the Coquihalla Highway.
The City of Kamloops said that residents would likely see spot fires throughout the night, but that the BC Wildfire Service would be using “using air assets in the early morning hours to extinguish the fire.” No structures were damaged in the fire.
6:30 p.m. – RCMP locks Lytton down as search for injured or missing people continues
The RCMP has established a Division Emergency Operations Centre at Lytton, as the search begins for survivors and victims of the Lytton fire that erupted Wednesday evening and swept through the town forcing the evacuation of 1,000.
According to the RCMP its detachment and officer’s homes in Lytton were destroyed.
“With respect to our current efforts – in the Lytton area restrictions are in place as it is unsafe for anyone to enter given the significant and ongoing safety hazards. Please respect the closures,” an RCMP statement read.
“The decision to limit access is not one made solely by the RCMP. We are working within a unified command structure.
“The situation is being continually assessed and when safe to do so we will be entering the area to conduct a formal search, specifically for any injured or missing people.”
The RCMP cannot confirm a family statement made to Postmedia News that two people had died in the fire.
A wildfire caused by the downtown Lytton blaze – the Lytton Creek Fire – is out of control and at least 6,400 hectares. Meanwhile the George Road wildfire seven kilometres south of Lytton is still burning out of control.
5 p.m. Fire near Castlegar threatens homes
A fire discovered southwest of Castlegar on Thursday has spread and is now threatening 28 homes in the Kinnaird neighbourhood and residents of the Castleview Care Centre have been evacuated.
Highway 3 between Castlegar and Nancy Greene Provincial Park is closed in both directions.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the fire is 8 kilometres from downtown Castlegar and there are 25 firefighters on the ground, supported by two helicopters bucketing and two airtankers dropping fire retardant.
4 p.m. Two reported dead as blaze destroys most of B.C. village
A Lytton man says his parents died in the wildfire that swept through town on Wednesday night, destroying the downtown strip and its surrounding buildings.
Jeff Chapman told Postmedia News that the couple in their 60s took cover in a hole in the ground as their house between the railway tracks and the downtown core began to burn.
Chapman said he ran toward the tracks. Moments later, he saw a power pole explode and fall on top of the hole containing his parents.
“It’s their grave now,” he said on Thursday morning, waiting outside a motel in Boston Bar.
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