What you need to know about B.C. wildfires for Aug. 4
CBC
The latest on the wildfires:
Dozens of evacuation alerts and orders remain in place across British Columbia as wildfires continue burning under hot, dry weather, including two fires threatening lakeside properties.
Evacuation notices are still in place due to the destructive Downtown Lake wildfire northwest of Whistler, B.C., which now stands at 21 square kilometres near two popular lakes.
The fire destroyed at least five properties earlier this week.
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Residents of nearly 100 properties near the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire are still being ordered out by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, while an evacuation alert was posted for 75 more properties in the area about 20 kilometres north of Chase, B.C.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District also declared a local state of emergency related to the fire, which is now 25-square-kilometres in size. Officials said it was likely sparked by lightning on July 12.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says its crews stayed on the fire lines overnight, structure protection teams were "fully engaged,'' and no buildings had been lost at last report.
Steep, inaccessible terrain and gusty winds were complicating efforts to control the blaze, a problem also faced by crews battling the Downton Lake fire.
An evacuation alert for that blaze was extended Wednesday to include the tiny community of Gold Bridge and several surrounding areas, while the evacuation order covering more than 200 properties surrounding Gun and Lajoie lakes remains posted.
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Late Thursday, the District of Sparwood and the Regional District of East Kootenay issued an evacuation alert for properties west of Highway 43 and north of Sparwood Heights Drive due to the threat posed by the Lladnar Creek wildfire. The alert covered Whiskey Jack, Elk Valley Trailer Park, Upper and Lower Lodgepole Trailer Park, Savarie Road, Savarie Frontage Road and all properties west of the highway up to 6161 Upper Elk Valley Road.
Cliff Chapman, operations director with B.C. Wildfire Service, said this week would be challenging as hot and dry conditions persist.