Firefighters make headway tackling wildfire near Lytton, B.C.
Conditions were favourable for firefighters overnight as they continue to tackle a large fire northwest of Lytton, B.C., according to authorities.
The Nohomin Creek fire, which started Thursday, has resulted in multiple evacuation orders and burned at least 10 structures, according to the Lytton First Nation.
It continues to burn over 15 square kilometres of hilly land, 1.7 kilometres from the centre of Lytton, the village that was all but destroyed last year in a wildfire. Ninety-five people were receiving evacuation supports as of Saturday.
Firefighters said Sunday that cooler conditions helped them overnight. Dozens of firefighters, including some from the Lytton First Nation, are fighting the blaze with the aid of helicopters and air crews.
"The lower temperatures [and] more moisture in the air really helped to, sort of, dampen fire activity," said Nicole Bonnett, a fire information officer. "We've got the ability to bring in additional resources as we need them. And so we'll be able to ... respond accordingly."
The fire remains "out of control" at this time, a designation that means the fire could continue to grow. It is currently burning an area four times the size of Vancouver's Stanley Park.
Bonnett said crews are attacking the blaze on the north flank, and also trying to stop the spread of the fire to the south, near the Stein Valley.
She said B.C. Parks will likely close the Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park for safety reasons on Sunday, and said park users should check the parks website for more information.
While the short-term forecast for the Nohomin Creek fire is encouraging, Bonnett warned that firefighters and residents are not yet out of the woods, with drier weather in the forecast next week.
"The weekend has definitely been pretty stable for us. I think [Monday] it sounds like it should be the same," she said. "Tuesday is when we're expecting to move back into the 30s for temperatures."
Evacuation orders remain in place for portions of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and multiple Lytton First Nation reserves.
Some residents temporarily return
The acting chief of the Lytton First Nation, John Haugen, said about 30 evacuees briefly returned home to salvage food they left behind in freezers when the fire broke out.
Haugen said 97 people from his community and about 40 people from neighbouring areas were forced out of their homes due to the fire.
He said power in the region isn't expected to be restored for at least 10 days. Because a timeline for when people may officially return to their properties has yet to be determined, he said rotting food would create another issue for residents.
Though Haugen said Sunday some of the smoke has diminished, Environment Canada has maintained a special air quality advisory issued for the Fraser Canyon due to the fire
Wildfire near Lytton, B.C., grows to 1,706 hectares, remains "out of control"
LYTTON, B.C. — A wildfire nearly two kilometres northwest of Lytton, B.C., has grown to 1,706 hectares, British Columbia's Wildfire Service said Sunday.
It said four unit crews, five initial attack crews, 19 Lytton First Nation firefighters, an incident management team and structure protection personnel are actively working to contain the fire that remains classified as "out of control."
The acting chief of the Lytton First Nation said 30 evacuees were able to briefly return home to salvage food they left behind when the wildfire broke out Thursday.
John Haugen said the fire destroyed six residences and triggered evacuation orders that forced a total of 97 people from his community and about 40 people from neighbouring areas out of their homes.
Haugen said electricity in the region isn't expected to be restored for at least 10 days, and because a timeline for when people may officially return to their properties has yet to be determined, rotting food would create another issue for residents.
"The fire has gone by in some areas so they did have brief access. There is no hydro and if they leave items in freezers the potential is to have rotting meat smells permeate their homes," he said Sunday.
Haugen said one house was saved and firefighters have been doing a "good job."
"There's the potential for a thunderstorm today, and that could help or it could push things in a different direction, so people have to be on guard," he said.
Though he says some of the smoke has diminished, Environment Canada has maintained a special air quality advisory it issued Saturday for the Fraser Canyon due to the fire. It said conditions are expected to last 24 to 48 hours, but the bulletin will be updated again Monday.
This comes just over a year after another wildfire burned down most of Lytton and displaced many residents who have yet to return home.
Provincial Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Friday that neither the village of Lytton nor any other communities are in the fire's path.
Officials say the cause of the blaze is unknown but is being investigated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2022.
— By Brieanna Charlebois in Vancouver.
The Canadian Press
Morgan Leet - NARCITY- Friday, July 15, 2022
There is an active wildfire near Lytton, B.C. that broke out on July 14 and has now led to multiple evacuation orders being issued. BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has classified the incident as "Out of Control," and said there is "heavy smoke."
© Provided by Narcity
The BCWS website said this classification means that a wildfire "is continuing to spread and is not responding to suppression efforts."
The Nohomin Creek wildfire is less than two kilometres from the community of Lytton, a village that was devastated by wildfires last year.
On Thursday, Lytton First Nation issued evacuation orders for Nohomeen IR 23, Papyum IRs 27, 27A, Lytton IR 27B, Papyum Graveyard 27C, and Stryen IR 9 (West of Stein River). Anyone in the evacuation areas was told to leave immediately.
They also issued evacuation alerts for Stryen IR 9 and Lytton IR 9A.
Thompson Nicola Regional District has also issued an evacuation order and alert for addresses in the Electoral Area "I" (Blue Sky Country).
BC Wildfire Service updated its website on Friday morning, and said attack crews stayed on site overnight and the "fire size has been updated to 800 hectares."
In an update on Thursday, the Director of Fire Centre Operations, Rob Schweitzer said "the events of 2021 and the impacts to the village of Lytton and the Lytton First Nation are forefront" of their minds.
The Lytton Creek wildfire was one of the raging wildfires in the province in 2021.
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