Evacuation orders issued as fires rage south of Vanderhoof

Photo: RDBN

Evacuation orders were issued Wednesday evening for people living in the vicinity of the Cutoff Creek and Grizzly Lake wildfires south of Vanderhoof.

The order for Cutoff Creek, issued jointly by the Sai'kuz First Nation and the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, covers an area extending south of the intersection of Kenny Dam Road and Brophy Road, southwest to Knewstubb Lake, and southeast to the 600 FSR, including Saik'uz IR Tatuk Lake 7, Tatuk, and Finger FSR.

The order does not include Kenney Dam Road where it runs adjacent to the Nechako River.

The RDBN also issued an evacuation alert for an area to the west and north, from west of the Nechako River including the Kenney Dam Road and west to the Corkscrew Forest Service Road and Sinkut Road.

Listed as a wildfire of note, the Cutoff Creek wildfire measured 12,000 hectares as of Wednesday night and, according to a posting on the B.C. Wildfire Service website, 47 firefighters, three helicopters and 15 pieces heavy equipment are working the blaze. Also deployed are three structure protection units, the BCWS said.

For the Grizzly Lake wildfire, the evacuation order issued by the RDBN extends from southeast of the 900 and 800 Road including Naltesby Lake and Little Bobtail Lake.

An evacuation alert issued Sunday remains in place for an area to the northwest, from southeast of the Bobtail Connector and Bobtail FSR to the 900 and 800 Road.

First discovered on Saturday, the lightning-caused fire covered 2,800 hectares and was listed as out of control as of Wednesday night by the BCWS.

An evacuation order related to the Camsell Lake wildfire west of Fort St. James remains in place and 59 people from the Yekooche reserve at the north end of Stuart Lake have been evacuated to Prince George where the City's emergency operations centre has been activated.

Photo: BC Wildfire Service