Northeastern B.C. community of 2,400 ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
CTV
Tumbler Ridge, a community with a population of 2,400 in northeastern B.C., has been ordered to evacuate Thursday due to the danger posed by an encroaching wildfire.
Tumbler Ridge, a community with a population of 2,400 in northeastern B.C., has been ordered to evacuate Thursday due to the danger posed by an encroaching wildfire.
The evacuation order, which was sent out using the province's emergency alert system, warns residents that the West Kiskatinaw River wildfire "poses a threat to human life."
Brandon Broderick, a Tumbler Ridge resident, said the evacuation order took him by surprise because there was no evacuation alert issued beforehand.
“So there was very little warning which we were kind of surprised about because the town seemed to know that the fire was heading our direction,” Broderick told CTV News.
He and his partner quickly packed up their two vehicles with their belongings, two dogs and three cats.
The blaze, sparked by lightning and discovered on Tuesday, is burning out of control and is estimated at 9,600 hectares. The BC Wildfire Service said Thursday that the fire has seen "aggressive growth" over the past 24 hours.
Broderick, a photographer, went to check out the blaze on Tuesday afternoon and was startled by how quickly flames spread when he went back that night.
