Properties threatened as latest B.C. wildfire flares, forcing urgent evacuations

Properties in a popular southern British Columbia recreational community remain at risk as the Downton Lake wildfire, 110 kilometres northwest of Whistler, takes a devastating run.

Flames from the lightning-caused wildfire had made slow but steady progress through steep, wooded terrain at the western end of Gun Lake since the blaze was sparked on July 13, but suddenly flared late Monday.

"It was moving very actively, very aggressively up and over the ridge. We had eyes on the ground that saw it on the west side of the lake. Rather quickly, it grew and the smoke was overwhelming," said Jen Ford, chair of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District.

An evacuation order covering the more than 200 properties around the lake was issued Tuesday and quickly upgraded to critical, urging the many seasonal and handful of permanent residents to leave for Lillooet or Whistler.

Evacuation alerts were also extended to areas north of Gun Lake, including Tyaughton Lake and the Tyax Resort, as the nearly 16-square-kilometre fire almost quadrupled in size since Monday.

"It's incredibly important that everybody heeds the call to evacuate the area and, most importantly, don't go into the area — we've got to keep the roads clear, we've got to get people out of there," said Ford.

WATCH: 'Aggressive' wildfire prompts evacuations near popular B.C. lake

Ford said she has heard buildings might have been lost, but no one has officially reported that damage to the district.

"We don't have any official reports of any structural damage or structural loss, however, there is certainly lots of information out there in different channels suggesting there is property damage," she said.

The properties around Gun Lake are mostly recreational cabins, but there are residents who live there year-round.

John Rose, 81, said he intends to stay as long as possible to keep the sprinklers running on the roof of his log house and on the heritage log cabins on the neighbouring property built by his parents in the 1940s.

"This isn't heroic,'' said Rose, a retired B.C. Parks Service ranger, whose property is across the lake from the flames.

"I just don't think anyone else could handle this set up.''

The destruction and evacuation orders and alerts came as most residents of the southern Okanagan town of Osoyoos were returning to their homes after a wildfire raced north from Washington state on Saturday, burning to within a few metres of some properties before a wind shift spared the community.