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Kamloops Fire Rescue chief issues warning about 'beyond dangerous' conditions after damaging Lytton blaze

'Lytton could be us': chief

The top fire official in Kamloops is warning city residents the Tournament Capital is facing conditions similar to those in Lytton, where flames are believed to have destroyed a significant portion of the village on Wednesday.

“Everybody needs to take extreme care,” Kamloops Fire Rescue Chief Steve Robinson said.

“Because Lytton could be us.”

An evacuation order was issued for the entire Village of Lytton early Wednesday evening. In the hours that followed, hundreds of photos, videos and accounts shared on social media have painted a dire picture appearing to show much of the community burned.

There has been no official word from the BC Wildfire Service. A BCWS fire information officer told Castanet officials were focusing all resources on responding to the events unfolding in Lytton.

Robinson said the conditions in Kamloops, brought about by a heat wave that has baked the city in record-setting temperatures for nearly a week, are “beyond dangerous.”

“Fast-moving fires with these types of conditions can quickly overwhelm local resources,” Robinson said.

“We are at risk here and are asking everyone in Kamloops to take extreme care. We haven’t seen conditions like this in Kamloops ever before. I want citizens to know that the fire conditions are beyond dangerous.”

The Sparks Lake fire is believed to be burning about 35 kilometres northwest of Kamloops, though that estimate was provided by wildfire officials earlier in the day on Wednesday, before the blaze ballooned to 20,000 hectares.



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