The Brunswick Creek wildfire north of Boston Bar has expanded in size over the weekend.
The BC Wildfire Service says that the blaze was 100 hectares on Saturday but is now covering an area of 1,230 hectares as of Monday at 5 p.m.
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Crews say that they are battling high winds and poor visibility.
“Poor visibility in steep terrain has been limiting our use of aviation resources. The safety of our crews, pilots, and the public is our priority,” BC Wildfires information officer Sam Bellion told 1130 NewsRadio.
“We’ve also seen some very high winds, so that can pose a risk for both responder safety due to an increase in fire behaviour.”
The blaze is believed to have been human-caused and was discovered on Thursday.
“This fire is currently classified as out of control. Our crews are continuing to assist in response to this incident. We have local fire departments, three initial attack crews, two-unit crews, and two response officers.”
The Fraser Valley Regional District says more than 100 homes have been ordered evacuated while about 200 others are on evacuation alert.
“The Fraser Valley Regional District and Boothroyd Indian Band have issued alerts and orders for the North Bend community and adjacent properties on the west side of the Fraser River into the evening on July 4. BC Welfare Service crews, RCMP, and local authorities conducted a tactical evacuation for properties in this area, and it remains a dynamic and changing situation,” Bellion added.
The smoke from the fire has affected the air quality in the Fraser Canyon.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a yellow warning and recommends that older people, those with chronic issues, or those who are pregnant should limit their exposure.
The smoke is expected to stick around for the next few days.
Meanwhile, another out-of-control wildfire is burning just east of Kamloops.
It was discovered on Monday and has grown to 20 hectares in less than a day.
This blaze is also believed to be human-caused.
– With files from Amy Beeman.
