Wildfire Evacuations Ordered Near Chetwynd, Highway 97 Closed

Due to an out-of-control wildfire near Chetwynd, police and firefighters are going door-to-door to order evacuations in the surrounding area. The BC Wildfire Service announced on social media Wednesday evening that the local RCMP and Chetwynd Fire Department were conducting a “tactical evacuation” near the fire, which was first reported around 3:45 p.m. The fire has rapidly expanded to 40 hectares in size, according to the agency. As a result, a 10-kilometer section of Highway 97 has been closed in both directions. According to Drive BC, the closures begin four kilometers from Chetwynd, a town in northeastern British Columbia roughly 300 kilometers north of Prince George, and conclude 14 kilometers away. Firefighters and airplanes from BCWS are fighting the blaze. “Efforts are focused on safeguarding the public’s life and safety,” it stated. Just before 7 p.m., an evacuation order was issued for the Pine River area. The Peace River Regional District ordered the immediate evacuation of anyone living west of Bisset Creek, south of Pine River, and east of Wildmare Creek, as the fire “poses a threat to human life.” The evacuation order issued on Wednesday is the first in the province during what has been an early start to the wildfire season. One evacuation alert is currently in effect for the Burgess Creek Wildfire, which has grown to 1,800 hectares and is burning out of control between Quesnel and Williams Lake.

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